The Boy At My Window
by ME4427
Summary: AU ""Please get out!" I pleaded trying to push him back towards the window. Cato didn't budge an inch but I did. He pulled me into his chest and wrapped his arms around me so my head rested neatly on his shoulder since we were roughly the same height. The more I tried to push away, the tighter he held me." Clove finds Cato at her window one night and ever since that day it's habit.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N **This idea sort of came to me so I thought I'd see where it went. I've also always wanted to do a Clove/Cato fic so here is my attempt! I hope you like it!_

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The atmosphere in the room was tense. I sat watching my mother as she nervously fussed over the kitchen stove. Her eyes constantly darted back and forth to the clock, watching each minute tick by and getting more frantic every time she did. Her anxiety was understandable. Dad would be home soon, in exactly seventeen and a half minutes, and if dinner wasn't on the table piping hot when he was home… well then, there would be hell to pay.

Bes wandered in with another one of his toys, "Mom, can I go see Cato now?" He asked her with the best puppy-dog look he could muster. Back then he had been pretty good at it too.

Glancing at the clock, she shook her head hastily, "No, sorry darling, not right now."

"But why not?" He said, stretching out his vowels in that annoying tone of his.

"Because dinner will be ready shortly and we must eat as a family. You know that Bes." She flinched slightly as she spoke, her tone abrupt and harsh.

With a fallen face my brother came to sit with me. We both knew it was for the best. His brown hair hung over his grey eyes and freckled face when he bowed his head like that. I tried to cheer my big brother up by giving him a nice smile. He was as good a big brother as they came, though he could annoy the hell out of me (and did so on many occasions). He was very protective of me both at home and school, making sure I was never picked on by anyone but him and his best friend Cato. They were both two years older than me, them being ten and me being eight.

"Could you two please set the table? Make sure it's right, okay? Exactly right." Mom didn't have to tell us twice. We jumped down from where we perched on the counter and hurried into the dining room, grabbing all the stuff on the way.

We took our time laying out everything; we had to make sure it was just perfect and nothing less. Dad could be very particular about these sorts of things and the last thing we wanted was him to get angry. Nothing went well when he was angry. Mum always stuck up for him in those situations, saying something like, "He has a stressful job so let's not make home stressful too." but he always got annoyed whenever we did anything wrong.

Honestly, he made me stressed. He took the whole "children should be seen and not heard" saying to a whole new level where we weren't seen or heard. Sometimes I thought he'd be happier if we just didn't exist at all.

His routine was exact, we would eat as soon as he came home at precisely six-thirty, then Bes and I would go straight to our rooms to play, as long as we were in bed by eight and not a second later. The time that Dad got home was always the worst, my least favourite time of the day. Everything would be fine until then, fun even, but as soon as he was home everything would change. Usually all smiles, Bes would be straight-faced and silent, Mom would worry and fluster and fuss, and I would be silent and wish that I could just be anywhere else but in my own home. And what is a home you don't want to be in? No home at all.

When the table was set, Bes and I sat in silence waiting. My stomach fluttered, my legs trembled and my hands sweat. I prayed silently that he would be in one of his oh so rare good moods and just be a normal father for once. His best moods were Sundays when we were alone, and also my least favourite day of the week. He'd tell me he loved me then, he'd hug me and touch me and tell me I was pretty. I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable on those days but I never breathed a word of it to another living soul. I constantly dreaded the weekends but thankfully it was Monday, and for a little while that day was behind me.

We heard the sound of the car pull in and I felt Bes clutch my hand under the table. He gave me a look that told me to behave myself and I tried to tell him I'd try. A few minutes later Dad came in. It's always odd how alike he and Bes looked but, thankfully, how different their personalities were. For one thing Dad was always frowning.

"Hello." His loud, deep voice echoed in the silence. A shudder ricocheted down my spine with that one word. He took his honourable seat at the head of the table as he set down his bag on the workbench. His eyes were cold so I tried not to look at them. In fact, I barely moved at all due to the fear that I'd do something wrong and get us all punished. I still remember the days before he became like this, before the days where we all lived in fear of him and his moods, but ever since his new job three years ago things changed. He still favoured me over Bes, but generally pretended we weren't there at all, and sometimes he'd even look at us as though he'd rather we didn't exist at all.

"Hello Dad." We replied mechanically.

Mom walked in then, right on cue, carrying a plate of food. "This looks pleasant, Paula." Said Dad, giving her a small, almost forced, smile. He turned to Bes. "How was school?"

Nervously he replied, "It was good, thank you. I had a test and I –"

He hadn't finished his sentence before Dad just nodded, as if he were listening, and cut him off by turning on me. "Yes, yes, whatever, that's great. And you Clove?"

His gaze fell on me and I gulped. Be polite. Be polite. Don't ramble. Be polite. It was the same mantra I said to myself every day. "Erm, good, thank you." I replied quietly.

"Speak up!" He shouted at me. I flinched, jostling the table slightly, thinking he was going to hit me. "It was good, thank you." I repeated relatively louder this time, trying to hold my voice steady. He frowned but let me be.

My mother sat ringing her hands nervously as she always did. He turned his piercing gaze to her next. "So what have you been doing with your time today, Paula?"

"Well, I bought in food that you like and did your washing." She answered quickly and without hesitation. She always prepared her answer so he wouldn't catch her out with anything 'inappropriate' and get mad. She had made that mistake once and wasn't likely to make it again.

I reached forward to serve the potato, but knocked over my glass of water with a trembling hand. It's contents spilled right across the table.

Dad leapt up from his seat. "Shit! You stupid bitch!"

He grabbed my arm and shoved me up against the wall so hard my head throbbed. I bit my lip to suppress my sob, crying only made it worse; Dad said only weak people cry. I didn't want to be weak. His hand drew back and I prepared for the blow. There was nothing I could do but take it, same as always. Bes suddenly leapt from his chair and threw his arms around me so that his back was to Dad, shielding me.

"Get out of my way! She needs to learn!" He grabbed Bes' shirt and shoved him to the floor with a good kick to his leg that made him moan. "Don't get in my fucking way again, you hear?"

Without further warning he struck my face so hard the blow was like thunder to my ears, lightning in the pain and acid rain in my tears. His temperament was a storm but it would always blow over then be back again. My Mom just stood and watched it all happen without the slightest emotion on her face and I felt a surge of hatred for both of them. How could she stand there and do nothing while her husband beat her children? Not an ounce of sympathy passed over her face. But more than anything I felt so guilty that Bes was curled on the floor in pain for trying to protect me, as he always did. No matter what he always tried to deflect my father's anger to himself so that he would take the anger out on Bes rather than me. And every time Bes got hurt.

Our Father picked up his food and stormed into the living room whilst muttering about us being 'the worst kids in the world'. Mum followed him like the obedient slave. I sank to the floor as my legs crumbled beneath me.

Shuffling over to Bes I wrapped my arms around him tightly, clinging to him as though I were the roots and he were my soil. I muttered my apologies for what I'd caused but he dismissed them all. Crying into his shoulder didn't make me feel any better. He hissed in pain as he sat up and hugged me back, then gently brushed his fingers over my stinging cheek.

"You okay there, Clove?" He asked and I couldn't help but stifle a laugh at the fact that he was more concerned with me that himself. I nodded weakly which made him smile a little. "It's not your fault you know." He started attempting to get back to his feet but I could struggling so I climbed up and gave him a hand.

Bes and I quietly grabbed our dinners from the table and crept upstairs. We had a nice house really, with four bedrooms and in a nice area. It was because of Dad's good earning that we could afford it, but I'd live anywhere else if it meant I could have the old Dad back. Bes and I slipped into my room where we ate on the floor next to my bed in silence. He held my hand tightly when we heard a smash and our Dad shouting. I ignored it. Or I tried to ignore it. A few tears slipped over my cheeks because I knew that his anger towards Mom was entirely my fault. I truly was a horrible daughter. Bes wrapped his arm around me giving me a small squeeze, and I couldn't help but envy his maturity for a ten year old.

He whispered 'don't worry' about a thousand times before my anxiety started to fade. We played cards, which was nice, but just as we finished the third game we heard footsteps coming up the stairs. We both tensed. They passed our rooms and kept walking as we let out our sighs of relief.

"Listen, I should go since it's past eight. I'll see you in the morning, okay? Don't worry Clove. Lock your door and it'll be ok." He got up and I watched him go.

I locked my door as he'd said and then turned back towards my bed. That's when the tears really started to flow, so I went and sat on my bed with my pillow pressed against my face and cried into it. I couldn't stop the sobs racking my body. It'd been my fault had happened! It was my fault Bes and Mom had been hurt and I deserved that slap! I'd been stupid, so stupid tonight. I vowed never to do it again. Ever.

My eyes snapped up as I heard a scratching tap at my window. I didn't expect see a pair of eyes staring back at me and certainly not Cato's eyes looking at me sadly. Something compelled me to get up and unlock the window. I slid the window up quietly and we just stared at each other.

"Cato, what are you doing here?!" I yelled under breath. He should be at home, what if my Dad found him here? He climbed through the window pushing past me. "You need to go now!" He ignored me. My eyes darted to the door as I thought about the consequences of him being found in here. Dad didn't like Cato coming over at all. "Please get out!" I pleaded trying to push him back towards the window. Cato didn't budge an inch, my feeble shoves barely shaking him. He pulled my to his chest and wrapped his arms around me. Being roughly the same height my head rested neatly on his shoulder, and the more I tried to push away, the tighter he held me.

"Shh, it's okay." He whispered in my ear as he stroked my hair. I don't know what came over me but I cried right there on his shoulder with a care. I thought of everything that I'd caused with my stupidity and let it out in the form of tears onto his shoulder.

Since we'd moved in four years ago, Bes and Cato had been the best of friends. Cato was cute according to most of my friends, with his blonde hair and blue eyes. He and I had never gotten on though; he'd always tease me, trip me over and call me names. What was he doing here, hugging me like this? I pulled back to look at him and his eyes looked so sad.

He continued to hold me as tears shone in his big blue eyes. I knew he knew about my father. Bes had been black and blue with bruises once and was forced to tell him the truth. Cato had sworn he'd never tell anyone and as far as I knew he hadn't.

"What are you doing here?" I repeated a little less hysterical this time. I tried wiping my face but the tears didn't stop falling. He pulled me down onto my bed and rocked me gently while I cried some more. When I looked to his chest I saw that he was dressed in his pyjamas.

"I saw you crying from my house. Our bedrooms are opposite each other. I wanted to make sure you were okay." He whispered, still hugging me. It dawned on me that he'd seen me at my weakest. I was never weak. I hated crying in front of anyone but Mom and Bes. I felt so embarrassed.

"You need to go. I'm fine. Go." I gave him another shoved towards the window, trying to push him from my bed.

"I won't leave until you have no more tears." He lay me down on the bed so we were face-to-face and his arms still wrapped around me. As much as I knew I should make him leave and move away from him, I felt safe and warm so I just scooted closer, pressing my whole body into his. I sobbed some more.

When I opened my eyes in the morning something felt strange. Suddenly I realised I was in somebody's arms. Cato still had his arms wrapped tightly around me. I gasped as I looked at the clock. "Cato!" I hissed, shaking him.

"Ten more minutes, Mom." He said with his eyes shut.

"Shh!" I hissed covering his mouth. His eyes darted open and slowly he pieced everything together. I can't believe we fell asleep! He sat up and started running a hand through his hair. I got up and pulled him off the bed, shoving him towards the window. He opened it and slipped through but before he could properly leave, I grabbed his wrist and pecked him on the cheek quickly. "Thanks." I said to his shocked face and shut the window, quickly turning away.

I really needed that hug last night. That was for certain the nicest thing Cato had ever done for me. I quickly got dressed for school whilst thinking about Cato sneaking over here and being in the house when he wasn't allowed. We were so lucky not to have gotten caught. I dreaded to think what would have happened if his parents had gone into his room in the night and saw his bed empty, or what would have happened if I hadn't woken up early. I shuddered, thinking of what my father would have done if he had walked in here to find Cato in the house at night-time. In my bed. But still, he had put a smile on my face.

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_**A/N **I'd love to hear what you think if you'd like to leave a review of some sort! :)_

_Until next time_

_ME4427_


	2. Chapter 2

**_A/N _**_Well I was really happy with the response to this story so I felt inspired enough to write another chapter! It's like 00:40 right now and I'm very tired! I have school tomorrow and a mock exam but I was like writing this is more important. I hope you enjoy! It's longer than the last one!_

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Chapter 2

_*8 Years Later*_

I woke to the familiar sensation of being crushed. I attempted to wriggle myself free but nothing I did seemed to make the slightest difference. In his sleepy state, Cato shifted his weight off of me slightly but his grip didn't lessen in the slightest not that I really minded. He breathed deeply into my dark hair as he spooned me from behind. His heavy arm was draped over me hugging me tightly to his toned chest. Our fingers were interlaced where he held my left hand in his and our legs tangled together where his was slung over mine. I could feel the usual 'morning glory' pushing against the small of my back but as always I ignored it. Reaching across my bedside table, I found my alarm and turned it off. I rolled round still encased in Cato's arms and as much as I wanted to curl into the warmth he radiated, I knew we had to get up.

"Cato," I whispered giving his arm a hard jab. He stirred but remained asleep. I sighed. He certainly was not easily woken. "Cato, wake up. It's six already." Still he remained asleep. I elbowed him hard right in the stomach and he at least woke up a little.

"Ten more minutes." He muttered groggily, pulling me into his side. He would not win that easily. I pulled myself up and looked at his peaceful form. I felt almost bad for what I was about to do. I lifted my hand back and swung it forward towards his face. Just as my hand was about to make contact with his cheek, he grabbed my wrist and he flung me onto the bed beneath him looking me right in the eyes as he hovered above me. His reflexes were something to envy.

"Tut tut, Cloverfield. How dare you hit me?" He smirked down at me.

"Well I didn't hit you did I? You caught me just in time." I muttered grumpily.

"And in return I get my ten minutes." He said while collapsing next to me on the bed. I stay laid on my back just looking up at the ceiling with annoyance. He draped his arm over my stomach, shifting my pyjama top up slightly as he did so. I was very quick to grab it and shove it back down where it didn't reveal any skin. I sighed and closed my eyes again knowing I would never win when he was like this. Ten more minutes was nothing, no one would catch us. _Hopefully._ There'd certainly been times when it was close. We both drifted back to sleep almost instantly.

"Clove, where the hell are you? You better be up!" I heard Bes' shouts echo through my locked bedroom door. As he banged on the door, Cato and I both leapt upright in the bed with fright. I glanced to my clock and realised it certainly hadn't been only ten minutes but more like an hour.

"Er…yeah I'm up. Don't worry!" I shouted back to him as Cato and I exchanged looks. I watched as he ran a tired hand over his face.

"Ok good. I'm going to go get breakfast and hurry up will you. Cato is driving today and I'd rather not make him wait. He's always ready on time." Bes called before making his way to the stairs. I shot Cato a very dirty look.

"Always on time are we? Oh I'm _so_ very sorry that I'm going to make us late. It's _all my _fault!" I said sarcastically.

"Yeah you should be sorry. Couldn't be bothered to get up?" He accused with a smirk. He pushed himself off of the bed and sauntered in only his underwear to where the rest of his clothes lay on my bedroom floor.

"No _I _could be bothered but the same couldn't be said for you!" I said getting up too and choosing some clothes from my wardrobe.

"Well then you should have woken me." He replied, pulling his t-shirt over his head then ruffling his bed-hair.

"I did! But YOU said ten more freaking minutes and now we're late you asshole!" I whisper-shouted through clenched teeth while slapping his arm. "Could you please just leave?" I gestured to the window. He grabbed my waist and shoved me against the wall, and I gasped slightly dropping all the clothes in my hands so my clean underwear was on full display on my bedroom floor. He laughed at my startled expression as he pressed his body against mine so our faces were inches apart.

"I'm so sorry Cloverfield." He breathed right into my face with sincerity on his face. But then he ruined it with another smirk. I pushed him away from me and he made his way to the window. I followed him there just to be sure he didn't hurt himself like the one time when he was fourteen. He fell when climbing our fence and twisted his ankle. He had to get back to his room without anyone finding out – I still don't know how he did it – and then he claimed he fell out of bed and landed funny when his parents asked how he hurt his ankle. The window was pulled up and he slipped through it but as I was about to shut it, he paused and turned back to me. He bent down and picked a small white flower that grew outside my window. It looked so small and insignificant in his fingers but the gesture was touching. He moved forwards and brushed some of my hair back, placing the white flower amongst my dark locks. He smiled one of his rare genuine smiles, the kind he saves for when we're alone, and his fingers lingered in my hair. When he pulled back I couldn't help but watch as he climbed down, over our fence and towards his own house and room. I smiled watching him go and allowed myself the pleasure of wasting those minutes.

Then I slid the window shut and went back to the clothes on my floor. I picked them up and took them into the bathroom with me where I had the world's quickest showers, and then I got ready careful not to disturb the little piece of Cato with me. As I left my en-suite, I caught a look at myself in the mirror and considering how rushed I'd been, I looked surprisingly nice. I wore some patterned white shorts and a black long sleeved vest top with black, slightly heeled, sandals since it was a hot day. I'd decided to wear a small bit of mascara and red lipstick for a change.

When I trudged in the kitchen, I found Bes and Cato. Cato leaned against the counter eating a bowl of cereal with exactly the same tousled hair as when he woke up, but he wore a white vest top that clung to his chest and tight-fitting jeans. He looked like a freaking supermodel. The ladies were going to swoon around him more than normal. As I passed him I grabbed the bowl of cereal from his hands and began eating it myself. This was sort of routine for us; he'd make cereal, start eating it and then I'd come in and steal it. His blue eyes glittered with amusement at my frustrated expression.

"Did you sleep in, Clove darling?" He asked with a smirk.

I gave him a hateful glare. "Shut up Cato! Why don't you eat at your own bloody house?"

"And miss seeing your gorgeous ass every morning? Dream on!"

Bes walked over and slapped him round the head. "That's my little sister, dude!" He turned to me, "You ok, Clove? How come you slept in?"

I tried not to glare at Cato more than I already was. "Just didn't want to be down to early." Bes had no idea that Cato slept in my room with me every night, if he did he would go crazy. Bes was very protective of me, he always had been. Cato was also very protective of me, but we still didn't get on - even though he had literally spent every single night wrapped around me in my bed for the last eight years. He had snuck back into my room the following night after seeing me crying again and we had ended up falling asleep again. After two weeks it had just became a regular thing. It wasn't something that we ever talked about, I just left my window unlocked and he let himself in. We had never once been caught in eight years. We'd come close a couple of times though. A couple of years ago, Cato's mom had found his bed empty, but he took the hit and lied, saying he'd snuck out to a party and stayed at a friend's. No one suspected he was next door with me.

He still teased me like crazy and annoyed the life out of me just as much as he did when we were kids, but I always knew he would be there for me if I needed him. It was like he had a split personality. By day he would annoy me, making me crazy and angry all the time, and by night he would be the sweetest boy in the world and would cuddle me, making me feel safe and secure.

"In case you ran into dad, you mean?" He asked with concern. I'd honestly never thought of that. Most mornings I did run into him at least a little and the way he looked at me made my stomach turn. "You know he's gone away, right?"

"What? Really?" I asked with my hopes rising. My dad's out of the house most of the time anyway since he pretty much hates us, but actually not being here at all for a week? That's heaven.

"Yeah he's supposed to be away the whole week. I thought he would've said…" Everything went a bit oddly quiet but luckily Cato broke the awkward tension.

"Well we better get going guys, come on." Cato said while grabbing his keys and heading to the car. As Bes strolled ahead of him he turned and whispered to me, "Someone's looking hot today." He looked me up and down making me want to squirm.

"Yeah you. Is it for all your lady friends?"

He ignored my comment about all his many sex buddies and picked out the other part of what I'd said without thinking. "You think I look hot today? Well it is just for you babe." He winked seductively at me but I gave him the finger and walked to his car. It was a bit shabby looking but at least he had one. My brother would never get one unless he paid for it himself, and though he had a job he still had no money.

The drive to school was like it always was. The two idiots in the front just talked about classic guy stuff like sports and all that shit while I just listened to some music in the back. Occasionally they'd ask me something but only when it was to back one of them up. Unfortunately for Cato, I always sided with my brother since I hated the very ground Cato walked on. He kept trying to smirk at me through the mirror despite the fact that he _should_ have been concentrating on driving. I ignored him to the best of my ability. When we arrived in the car park at school, Cato pulled into the spot that people always saved for him. It was an unspoken agreement that this was Cato's spot and no one else was to ever use it.

People swarmed around the car immediately as they always did. The two idiots in the front were the most popular people in school because apparently asshole was an attractive quality. Who knew? Boys wanted to know them; girls wanted to shag them. I, on the other hand, wanted to be as far from them as possible so I was, as every morning, very quick to exit the car. All the girls that crowded round appeared to be missing several items of clothing and I couldn't help make a comment to the slut-of-all-sluts, aka Tia Capan.

"Holy shit! Tia I think you forgot you pants!" I feigned mock horror at the girl who was wearing a skirt so short it should have been a belt. The look she gave me could have killed. I heard Bes and Cato laugh in the background.

"Whatever loser. At least I could get laid without having to pay for it!" She spat back. I ignored her and carried on walking towards my locker. It was usual for us to make these snide comments back and forth. I'd had my fun, no need to get in a fight. She had had a 'thing' with Cato but by that I mean she just fucked him and then he ditched her for someone else. Isn't he charming? There's a reason I make him wash his hands before putting them on me. I don't want to catch anything. She never got over him though and practically begs him to get with her again. She might as well pin a sign to her head saying 'I'm desperate'. Perhaps I'll arrange that someday.

I heard footsteps behind me but I presumed they were no one of importance. I was right, it was just Cato. "Hey that wasn't very nice, Cloverfield." He laughed as he laid an arm around my shoulder. I carried on walking. He leaned in and whispered in my ear, "sorry about this morning. And ignore Tia, she's wrong. I know plenty guys who'd love to get with you." He added with a flirty wink.

I rolled my eyes. "Oh wow I feel so much better now! All your man-whorish friends would fuck me! Wow am I privileged!"

"Well I'd happily have a piece of you, babe." He replied in a breathy voice. Bes came up behind him and slapped him round the head.

"Dude, little sister!" He carried on walking but grabbed Cato's hand in the process so he tugged him away with him. I watched as they headed straight to their newest arm-candy, feeling disgusted just for knowing them. I reached my locker then and I felt happy to distract myself by loading books in and out of it. Then I heard a familiar voice that made me turn around. It was that of my friend Lucy.

"Hey Clove!" She leaned against the locker next to mine, swishing her blonde curly hair back with one hand. "Did you ride in with hot ass one and two?"

"Nope." I said shutting my locker and turned to look at her. "Just regular old Bes and his jerk friend Cato."

My other friend Katy replied, "You gotta admit, they're pretty damn hot!"

"They are not. They're just jerks."

Lucy sighs and fans her face, "But they're gorgeous! How can you not be affected by them?"

"They are both absolute whores! Seriously I don't get how you look past that!" Bes is a lovely person but to girls he most certainly isn't and Cato was just a jerk all-round.

"I mean they must walk around your house half-naked like all the time! Actually, why the hell do we not spend more time at your house?"

"Because seeing you girls drool all over them is getting old." Will said from next to me. I didn't even here him pop up but I was glad he saw my point. He stood next to my other friend Eve.

"But they look like freaking sex gods! And when they're playing hockey…it gives me fucking chills! They're all sweaty and what not! Yummy!" I tried not to gag at her lustful expression. The bell rang and we all sighed since it meant we had to get to class. I hooked my arm through Eve's and grabbed Lucy's with my other hand, pulling them towards our first class. Will and Katy had a different lesson to us first. We arrived at Maths just in time.

School was good, as usual; I was quite popular due to the fact that my brother and his best friend were the most wanted boys there. They warned all the guys to stay away from me, which actually suited me fine because I didn't want to date most of those idiots. Most of the girls wanted to be my friends so that they could get closer to my brother. The girlfriend wannabe's were pretty easy to see through though, mostly you could tell if they wanted an introduction, by what kind of clothes they were wearing - if they weren't wearing much then they were after my brother or Cato. I was also quite popular amongst the teachers too because my grades were all at least B and I always did my homework and was never tardy. Classes past in a blur and it wasn't long before lunch swung around.

I was sat with my friends (and Will's girlfriend, Sophie) at our table in the canteen when I heard the giggles that cued their arrival. Girls started checking their hair and make-up, including Eve and Lucy unfortunately. I ignored them and carried on eating my fries and pizza.

"Oh my god! Oh my god! He's coming over!" Eve squealed.

A hand shot out from behind me and grabbed a handful of my fries much to my annoyance. I turned round and met Cato's amused face. I gave him a deadly glare but he didn't seem to take any notice. He shoved me along on the bench with his hip and parked himself next to me. I could feel all the girls' eyes burning into the back of my neck.

"Hey Cloverfield." He breathed in my face. His tone didn't lighten my expression.

"Hey how about you get your own food? Seriously Cato what the fuck is your problem?! You take food from my house and from my plate at school! Please just get lost!"

He just smirks, "What you don't like sharing with me?" He then leans in and whispers in my ear, "you don't mind sharing your bed." I just sit there dumbfounded and all my friends are watching the interaction obviously wondering what it is he just said to make me look like that. Seeing my expression makes his smirk grow. Quickly I compose myself.

He tried to steal more of my fries by stretching over me but I picked up my knife and jammed it down hard on the table just missing his fingers. "Well aren't we skilled with knives?" He laughed at me. "What you gonna cut me with that blunt thing?"

"What do you want Cato?" I sigh, moving my plate away from him.

He threw his arm round my shoulder and hugged me to him. I could see the jealousy on many of my peers faces. "Am I not allowed to visit my girl? I've missed seeing your beautiful face."

Eve and Lucy stare at him dreamingly with longing evident in their faces. "I am _not_ your girl. And get your damn hands off me, Cato! I do not want to catch something!" I scolded, shrugging his arm off of me.

He chuckled softly, "Oh come on Clove, you love me really! Anyway I just came to tell you that your brother's doing a shift tonight so…"

"I get to enjoy your company." I finished his sentence sarcastically.

"Exactly."

Great! Just what I needed to make my day worse! He'd drive me home at snail's pace just to piss me off and then he'd spend the night bugging the life out of me insisting that he couldn't leave until Bes got home. Damn it, he's irritating.

"Now you better get going. Those STD's won't spread themselves!" I dismissed him cheerily.

"Oh whatever, we both know you'll be practically begging me to get in bed with you tonight!" I almost blushed at the double-meaning to his words. I was so glad no one else understood the word-play.

"Of course I will, because I just love you! Oh won't you be a dear and fuck my brains out tonight!"

"It'd be my pleasure," he took my hand and kissed it, "And I love you too."

Just as I thought he was finally done bugging me, he turned back around and put one hand on my waste. His other hand played with the flower still in my hair as he said loud enough for my friends to hear, "I'm glad to see you're still wearing my flower." He kissed the side of my head and went back to his friends.

I watched him walk back to the same girl he had this morning. He lowered his slutty, used lips onto hers and they made out right there in the canteen. It sickened me that he'd literally just touched me with those same lips. I scrubbed at the hand he'd kissed; it felt itchy and infected. All the girls stared after him lustfully and all I could think was how much I really hated him.

"Jeez he's so annoying! Why can't my brother choose good friends for God sake? Or even just ones who don't screw anything that moves!?" I ranted.

"Oh stop whining! Cato Hadley just had his arm round you and kissed you on the cheek, I would give anything for those sweet lips to be on me," Eve said dreamily, making me laugh.

"Whatever. Come on, let's get to our next class," I suggested as we picked up our trays and headed out. I couldn't help but have one last look at him standing there with his arm round her not me anymore. He was looking right back at me and our eyes locked. We stared and then I shook my head and followed my friends. I _almost_ thought he was a nice person, but almost is never enough.

After school, I took my time packing my bag up in class. I reluctantly made my way to the car park where he waited for me, leaning seductively on his car. He smiled when he saw me approaching but I wouldn't look at him.

"Hey beautiful." He purred to me but I ignored him. He opened the door for me and I sat down in the seat but I was already annoyed with his flirty ass. If only Bes were here, then he would have gotten a good old slap for that comment. He climbed in next to me. "So listen, I need to stop off at the shop on the way…" He put the car in drive and pulled out of the parking lot.

"Great." I mumbled. I was very annoyed by this point. He attempted conversation but I'd just reply in short, dismissive answers and look out my window to try to ignore him. When we reached the store about five minutes later, he turned to me.

"Come on, Clove." He got out expecting me to follow but I made no move to. He stood waiting but he soon realised I wasn't coming. Instead of accepting that fact, he came round and opened my door. "Come on, Clove." He repeated, holding his hand out for me.

"It doesn't take two of us. I'm staying right here. You can't make me come in." I replied sulkily. He sighed and I thought that was it. I should have known that when anything involves Cato, it's not simple. He bent down and grabbed me round the waist, hoisting me over his shoulder easily as if I weighed nothing. He laughed as he kicked the door closed and started carrying me towards the store. I kicked him hard but he didn't let go. He laughed harder at my meagre attempts at escape.

"Seriously put me down, Hadley! Get your damn hands off me!" I shouted, slapping his back. "Put me down, asshole!" I looked around feeling really embarrassed but apparently no one was watching. When we reached the store, he plopped me down in the aisle and I stood there glaring with my arms crossed over my chest. "That was so freaking embarrassing!" I hissed but again he laughed at me.

"Jeez most girls would melt if I did that to them."

"Do I look like 'most girls'?"

He tucked a stray hair behind my ear, his hand lingered on my cheek and his eyes bored into mine. I slapped his hand away. "No you look far better." He breathed in that way of his. He seemed to snap out of his weird sort of daze and mumbled something about getting a magazine for his mum. I was happily sulking when two boys stalked over to me. I visibly stiffened but pretended not to notice them. "Well hello there," one of them purred. He was too close to me. I nodded in acknowledgement before walking off quickly to find Cato.

"Hey, where you going?" the other guy asked, grabbing my hand.

My heart started to race rapidly as I looked around, frantically. "I'm looking for my boyfriend," I lied, trying to sound confident.

"Boyfriend? I don't see a boyfriend," the other guy said, sneering at me and pulling me towards him slightly.

I felt sick. Oh God, Cato, help me please! I hate people touching me, especially those I don't know.

"Hey, Clove," Cato said, slinging his arm around my shoulder and glaring at the two guys who immediately took a step back. I moved closer to his side and pressed into him. "I hope you guys weren't hitting on my girl," he said and I could hear the anger in the tone of his voice. He was almost as protective of me as Bes and for once, I was very grateful.

"No way, man. We were just talking, that's all," the guy lied, holding up his hands in innocence.

"Good. Come on then, let's get you home," Cato guided me towards the door. Once we were outside, he turned to look at me. "You OK?" he asked, looking at me concerned. I was OK; my heart had stopped trying to break out of my chest as soon as I heard his voice. I smiled a small smile and muttered "thanks".

We got back in the car and he threw a chocolate bar into my lap. It wasn't just any chocolate though; it was my favourite and I smiled slightly at the gesture. It was sort of sweet if it hadn't been from Cato.

When I got home I went straight to the kitchen and started making dinner. As I went round the kitchen I felt Cato's eyes on me making me violated as he gazed at my body. "I have eyes you know!" I cried angrily, pointing to my face. He was about to open his mouth but I cut him off, "Can you just not talk to me? I'm not in the mood for your sluttish remarks, sweetie."

He held his hands up in mock surrender and then he got off his ass and decided to help me prepare the pasta. He came to stand next to me and he was standing so close to me that I could feel the heat radiating from his body to mine, it was strangely calming. He helped cut up the vegetables and stuff. When I went to stir the food, I felt one of his hands snake around me and rest on my hip. His body pressed up against mine from behind and his hand wrapped around mine so we were stirring it together. For some reason him being there made me really distracted. It wasn't long before we'd stopped stirring it and were just staring at each other. Feeling uncomfortable, I shifted out from under him.

"I…erm…am going to start homework. That should be ready in about fifteen minutes, ok?" That felt weird being close to him like that, I could still feel the tingles of electricity flowing through my hand where he had held it, I could still smell his sweet breath that had blown across my face. I had no idea what this weird atmosphere was in the kitchen; it was all just too confusing. Right as I was leaving he grabbed my wrist and spun me so we were chest-to-chest and I had no choice but to look into his eyes. They were shining.

"You're not still mad at me, are you? Being bitchy doesn't suit you, Cloverfield." He frowned.

"I guess not. I need to go. My homework's calling me!" I laughed awkwardly as I left the room.

Right through dinner I kept looking up and every time I did his eyes were on me. He didn't even look away when I caught him and he was really unnerving me. Since I'd managed to finish homework before dinner, and Bes wouldn't be home for a while, we put a film on. Cato and I sat on the sofa, him with his arm slung lazily over the back of my chair. I kept sneaking little glances in his direction.

When it finished I was pretty tired. I yawned, "I'm tired. I'm going to bed." I got up stretching and he just sat there staring at me with a strange expression. I cleared my throat.

"Oh right yeah. I'll go home, get my stuff and be back soon." He got up and left. I headed upstairs and got ready for bed. I slipped into bed. The bed felt cold and too big, just like it did every night. After about twenty minutes or so, I heard my window slide open and then closed again. Clothes dropped to the floor and then the bed dipped behind me.

"You asleep yet?" He whispered to me.

"No not yet." I mumbled. He wrapped his arms tightly round my waist and slung his leg over mine. His chest was pressed right against mine and I heard him sigh as I wriggled to get closer to him, I loved Cato sleeping in with me, the bed didn't feel right without him there. As much as I hated him, I loved him too. I loved how I hated him; I hated how I loved him.

"What's wrong?" I asked, pulling his arms tighter around me and pressing my face into his arm, smelling his beautiful scent that was like nothing else in the world. It was intoxicating.

"Nothing. I'm just tired, that's all," he mumbled against the back of my head, pressing his lips into my hair.

"OK. Goodnight," I whispered, kissing his arm.

"Goodnight, Cloverfield," he replied, kissing my head again.

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_**A/N **Thanks for reading! __This chapter took me ages to write it so I've not checked it over. Tell me if there's anything bad about it!_ Or anything good! :)


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N **Ok wow the response to this story is amazing, seriously! Thank you so much! I really am sorry that it's been a while but I've been crazy busy. I should be able to update (at VERY latest) next weekend. So thanks for reading..._

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Chapter 3

As usual my alarm rang in my ears signalling it was six already. Quickly I silenced it and looked up at the figure next to me in bed. Instead of waking him like always, I paused and just looked at him for a second. Someday, I vowed, I wouldn't need him like I do now but I'd said this thousands and thousands of times and yet here we were. No matter how hard I tried to not need him, I did. With my eyes I traced the lines on his face as they moved with thought as he dreamed on oblivious to me. I could feel the warm air he breathed out blow into my face and somehow it soothed me. I never did understand the way he affected me and sometimes, I was glad I didn't know. In his sleepy state, he murmured something and pulled me closer to him, if that was possible, so my head was pressed against his chest, tucked under his chin and his hands were holding me there. I sighed knowing I'd have to wake him and kick him out my bed as I didn't want a repeat of yesterday.

I put my mean face on and pulled his warm hands off my back making him stir. I shuffled away and rolled away facing away from him. Shutting my eyes, feigning sleep, I elbowed him hard into the stomach. This time he didn't argue with being woken.

"Six, Cato." I mumbled in a fake-sleepy voice.

"Right ok." He kissed the back of my head and climbed over me. I heard him shuffle across the floor to his pile of clothes but I didn't get up and follow him to the window today. I was tired of watching him go.

After a few minutes, I figured he'd be about to go so I spoke up, "Bye." But I wasn't saying 'bye' in the way he thought; I was saying bye to night-time Cato. I heard more shuffling to my confusion so I opened my eyes and was met with his smiling face. It was the nice smile so I smiled back. He was so close I could again feel his breath on my face, warming me slightly.

"Bye, Cloverfield." He whispered before leaning in and pressing a long kiss to the area right above my nose. Then he was at the window, where he gave me a daytime-smirk, and then he left. In the end, I did watch him go.

Rolling over, I buried my face into his pillow, I could still smell him and it made me feel safe and calm. I drifted back to peaceful sleep for another half-hour before having to get up again.

When I got to the kitchen I found Cato standing with my cereal again. Snatching it from him, I made my way over to the table and sat down eating. Bes was nowhere to be seen which was odd. As I sat eating, I didn't even notice Cato come stand behind me so when I heard him speak it made me jump.

"Guess what," He breathed right into my ear. I tried to lean away from him. "Come on guess."

"Ok…" I pretended to think it over as if I really were guessing, "…you finally found your brain?"

He laughed lightly, "No not yet."

"Then what?" I asked without any hint of actual interest. Before he could answer though, we heard Bes coming down the stairs coughing and cursing. He reached the door to the kitchen and he was quite the sight with his normally tamed hair all over the place, his skin pale with red patches like at the end of his runny nose, and a blanket wrapped around his hunched shoulders.

"I'm sick." He said bluntly coming over to me. "I'm not going in today."

I turned round to meet Cato's smirking face. "So your little surprise is that I get to be stuck in the confined space of your car with _only_ you today?"

"That's right, beautiful."

Bes wasn't too ill to slap him round the head. "Little sister!" He reminded in his croaky voice. With that, he retreated back to his room. Cato and I made the way to his car and today I got to sit right next to him in the front. What a joy! He kept stealing glances at me the whole way but I just pretended to not notice. Half way there, the silence got to him since normally he and Bes would be bursting with conversation.

"So…" He began, hoping I would salvage his attempt. I made no move to. "…em…you excited to see the big game on Friday?" It didn't surprise me that he directed the topic towards the ice hockey match since that's the type of thing him and Bes would talk about since they're both on the team.

"Not really." I replied honestly.

"Really? Not looking forward to see me all hot and sweaty?" He teased.

"Not really." I answered bluntly.

"Well what about the after-party?"

"I'm probably not going." To this he raised an eyebrow.

"You do know that Bes told everyone we could have it at your house since you have no supervision?"

"WHAT?!" I yelled. How dare Bes not tell me that!? I hated these sorts of parties, not because I was a spoiled-sport, but because when they were at our house I had to clean everything up and it's just an excuse for girls to dress with even less clothing and guys to be even more pervy.

"I thought you knew…"

"No I didn't."

We sat in silence until we pulled into the car park. As always, the girls swarmed the car and for the second time that day, I couldn't help feel tired of it all. This routine was getting old. Today, I didn't stop to taunt Tia but I just kept walking towards the school building. I didn't even look back to see Cato undoubtedly with a girl draped over him. I didn't even wait to see if he tried to catch up with me; I just kept walking.

When I reached my friends at my locker I gave them a small smile. "You okay there?" Sophie, Will's girlfriend, asked me. Even though we didn't know each other too well, I always found her really nice.

"Yeah I'm fine, just a bit irritated."

"By what? Bes and Cato?" She replied lightly.

"Just Cato. Bes is ill."

"WHAT?!" Lucy squealed beside me. "Can I come over after school and play sexy nurse to him_?_"

I gave her an incredulous look. Was she being serious? Her face suggested she was. "Err…no you can't. That's just weird." I couldn't bother to hide my disgust.

"Pleeeeaaaaassssseeeee…." She begged me. Before I could try and give her some sort of a reply, the bell went and we all headed to class. Then I remembered that I'd left my chemistry textbook back in my locker so I made my way quickly back to my locker. Since I was running so late, I started to run down the hallway; I could see Cato and a couple of his friends walking towards me.

"Slow down or you'll fall," Cato shouted, smirking at me as I half ran, half walked towards him. As I passed him, he stuck his foot out tripping me up. Before I hit the floor he wrapped his arms tightly around my waist, and pulled me upright. "Jeez, Clove, I know I'm hot, but you don't need to fall at my feet," he teased, making all his friends laugh. I slapped him hard on the chest, glaring at him. "Oh I like it a bit rough, Clove, you know that," he said, smiling wickedly. He still hadn't let go of my waist, I noticed. He stepped forward and pressed his body against mine. I was very aware that all of his friends could see this and were smirking just like him. Night-Cato could do this; day-Cato could not. I jerked my leg up and kneed him in the balls. He grunted and let go quickly, bending in half and clutching his groin. I would _not_ be used to amuse his idiot friends.

As I turned and walked away, over my shoulder I shouted, "Just cause Bes isn't here doesn't mean you can put your damn hands on me!"

When I came into chemitry looking even more irritated than I had done before, my friends gave me some weird looks but since most of them weren't near me, they couldn't ask me about it. My teacher, Mr David had put us in assigned seats in the hope that people wouldn't talk as much and actually listen so it meant I had to sit next to people I'd rather avoid. I took my seat reluctantly next to Sarah Price. She was what you could call a 'princess' in the way she behaved towards people: demanding, cruel, snobbish and judgemental. She was, besides Tia Capan, my worst nightmare. I could find her more tolerable if she were actually intelligent enough to contribute to our work. Mr David set us our task and while I got to work on it, she sat there twiddling her bleach-blonde hair and looking in her pocket mirror so often she might as well leave it out of her pocket rather than pulling it out every two seconds. She was really starting to annoy me.

"You know you could just tape that thing to you hand and then it'd be easier to see how _great_ you look." I snapped at her. Apparently she didn't understand my tone of voice.

"Thanks! You're so smart, Clove!" She picked up the tape, put the mirror on her hand and unravelled the tape round-and-round until the mirror was in fact stuck to her hand. I just stared at her and had to stop myself laughing at her stupidity. Because of the way she'd stuck it down, she couldn't even see in the mirror anymore anyway! "So where's your brother today?"

_Great another fan!_ "He's ill."

"Oh."

We sat in silence for a while why I copied down the equations from the whiteboard. She just kept peering over my shoulder looking very confused the whole time. Getting bored, she resorted to tapping her pen on the table and it was really annoying me. In the end, I was glad when she started a conversation just because it meant she stopped.

"You must know Cato pretty well." She mused. _Great, someone else looking for an introduction._ She was yet to be his arm-candy and was probably eyeing up the role.

"I guess."

"I've talked to him before. He seems misunderstood."

"That's nice." I dismissed. I was just surprised she knew that big word.

"But it's not though. People don't get him." _I get him pretty well. He's an arsehole. What's to get?_ "He doesn't like all those girls he's with; you can tell." _Wow that makes him sound even nicer!_ _Using girls for sex! What a charmer!_

The lesson passed surprisingly quickly after that which I felt remarkably pleased by. I was glad to leave that classroom. My next lesson, maths, passed surprisingly quickly too which only left French so lunch rolled around in no time at all. I sat at the same table as always with my friends and from across the hall I caught Sarah's eye – where she sat next to Tia at the popular girls' table – and she smiled at me. My friends didn't notice the exchange. I tuned into Katy and Eve's conversation.

"…and then Valerie laughed at me because apparently I can't run very well! Well I'm sorry that no one can run like she can! But how mean is that?" Katy ranted to Eve.

"Yeah I guess but maybe you could do more exercise, you know? Train up?" Eve suggested lightly, trying not to upset Katy.

"I guess," Katy mumbled.

"You know who is fit though?" Lucy spoke up, making them both turn their heads in her direction. She gestured with her head so we all turned to see. Of course! She was nodding in the direction of Cato. Seeing us looking his way, he said something to his friend Steve Burden, and headed to us. _Great._ I turned back to my food and pushed it round my plate a bit. I felt Cato sit down next to me, but I completely ignored his presence even when he continually prodded my shoulder. Eve and Lucy were practically drooling over him from the other side of the table.

"Hey Clove." He poked me slightly harder. "Clove. Clove. Hey Clove. Clove."

"What?!"

He smiled at having got my attention. "How's your day been so far?"

"Fine."

"Did you finally learn how much Chemistry we have in first lesson?"

I rolled my eyes at him. "No but I did learn that I will spontaneously combust if I'm next to you for too long so you better get going."

"Well babe you do look hot." He winked. Again I rolled my eyes. "Right I best be going but I'll see you after school at the end of the day."

"Whatever."

Finally he got up and left to go back to his idiot friends and hit latest screw. My lunch didn't seem as appetising anymore so I just pushed it into the middle of the table with disdain. Eve and Lucy just sighed and gushed about him so I tuned them out and listened to Will and Sophie about their date tonight. It was a much more pleasant topic.

The rest of the day flew by in a blur but I longed the clock to stop ticking because it was getting nearer and nearer for me to see Cato again. When the final bell did sound, everyone was quick to leave but I took my time in packing up my bags prolonging the inevitable. As soon as I left the room I spotted the slouching figure leaning against the wall next to the door. He smirked at me and immediately grabbed his backpack that had been on the floor beside him, swinging it over his shoulder and falling into step beside me. We were so close, our shoulders brushed. We walked to his car together and he held open the door for me to get in. He then went round and got in the driver's seat. He started the engine and we drove towards home.

"Do you need to stop off anywhere on the way?" He asked, glancing at me.

"No I don't think so." I replied, turning to look out of the window, ignoring his gaze.

He fumbled in his pocket for a moment before pulling out his flashy phone and throwing it into my lap. I just stared at it. "Text your brother, will you? Check he doesn't need anything." I didn't question his request and sent my brother a quick text. We both knew that whenever Bes was ill, he would keep his phone in his hand no matter where he was, even if he was sleeping. He responded almost immediately.

"He says no."

Cato sighed heavily. "Maybe my parents need something? Text them."

I felt a bit uncomfortable texting his parents on his phone but I had spoken to them before so there was no reason to feel like that. We sat in silence waiting for his phone to vibrate signalling a response from his mother.

"Nope. They don't need anything, Cato. Let's go home."

"Actually I think that I need-"

I cut him off. "Jeez Cato! Why are you so damn desperate to not go home?! Are you scared of Bes or something?! Huh, why?!" I was really getting annoyed with him. He'd really made my mood sour.

"No. I just….never mind." I assumed he probably just wanted to flirt with some hot girl he knew worked there or something so I didn't bother to press for details. We remained in silence the rest of the way, him with a blank expression and I seething inside. When we reached home, I practically leapt out of his car. As I reached the front door and pulled out my key, I noticed that Cato had not gone home. Since Bes was home, there was no reason for him to come in but perhaps he wanted to just to piss me off. That's the sort of thing he would do.

I glared at him and stepped inside, trying to shut the door on him but he grabbed it and opened it, stepping inside. "Can you not even go home?" I hissed but he ignored me and made his way to the living room. "Bes I'm home!" I shouted up the stairs. A minute or so later, Bes popped his head round the top of the stairs and smiled at me. He didn't look much better than he had this morning but I gave him a small encouraging smile. He made his way down the stairs to me, coughing all the way. "You okay, Bes? You don't look too good."

He waved his hand in a dismissing gesture and went into the living room. "What're you doing here," He coughed, "Cato?"

"Oh em I thought since you're unwell you might be in bed so Clove here might need some company or help with things."  
"Oh ok" _Cough_, "then. Thanks for that." He went back upstairs and into his room.

I didn't spend time with Cato since I could barely stand him, so I spent my time in my room doing homework. I could hear him downstairs watching the TV and I really didn't see the point in him sticking around to be 'my company' or whatever when he wasn't even in my company. It was shit idea anyway but he might as well pretend he's doing it. Honestly, I don't know what made him stay around. My thoughts were broken when I heard the doorbell go. I couldn't help but wonder who would be ringing the doorbell. Cato's parents perhaps? I abandoned my homework and got up, making my way down the stairs. Cato had already gotten the door.

Suddenly I saw a face I recognised well. I thought she'd been kidding but evidently not. It was Lucy. "So where is that brother of yours then?" She asked, eyeing up Cato out of the corner of her eye.

"He's upstairs in his room but – " Before I could finish she'd dashed past me and bound up the stairs, then she burst into Bes' room. We heard a startled gasp. It wasn't long before Bes emerged from his room looking very unhappy. I wasn't sure whether it was because he found her annoying or because a girl who adored him was seeing him on his worst day.

"Why did you invite your friend over?" He asked me, giving me a murderous glare.

"I didn't. She just came."

He turned to her and she was stroking his bicep. He sighed angrily and went back to his room with her following behind him. Cato and I exchanged looks and we couldn't help laughing a little bit.

"See I like this Clove better. Come watch TV with me, Cloverfield."

The way he looked at me was full of persuasion. I followed him and sat down on one of the couches. He decided to take the seat right beside me meaning we were so close that our legs were right against each other. I felt slightly uncomfortable about it as my senses were on full-alert all of a sudden. I couldn't even focus on whatever we were watching, especially when Cato draped his arm on the back of the sofa so if I leaned back, I'd be resting on it. We watched it for hours and I completely forgot that Lucy was even upstairs harassing my brother, until she came downstairs and sat on my other side.

"Are you done harassing my brother?"

"I guess. He fell asleep a while ago. So what's going on here then?" She waggled her eyebrows, gesturing to Cato and I. I felt him stiffen next to me for some reason but when I looked at him, his face was expressionless and his eyes were glued to the screen as if he completely oblivious to us.

"Nothing."

"Really? You look pretty cosy to me…" She said suggestively.

"Nope." I dismissed it abruptly. She huffed slightly, clearly not happy with my response.

"Right well I guess I'll be off. See you tomorrow, Clove." With that she got up and headed to the door. I heard it shut behind her and Cato still looked the same as before but slightly less stiff. I wondered what got under his skin. After another hour I was getting pretty tired and I still had no idea what the hell we were watching. I yawned for what must have been the billionth time, and I unconsciously snuggled into Cato's side. Again he stiffened but less noticeably. I tucked my legs up beneath me so my knees just rested on the top of his left leg. As hard as I tried, my eyes didn't want to stay open and my lids just kept drooping until eventually I closed them, snuggling more and grabbing a fistful of Cato's shirt in my hand.

I don't know at what point I fell asleep but when I woke up, I was groggy and I was in Cato's arms bridal style, going up the stairs towards my room. Since I was tired, my brain wasn't functioning properly so I didn't even think about how weird a reaction it was when my fist on his shirt tightened and I snuggled even closer into his chest. I also didn't question it when I thought about how strong he was, how fit he was or how wonderful he smelled. He looked down at me and seemed to notice that I was half-awake. He gave me a soft smile and when we reached my room, he turned to lock the door before settling me on the floor. I was too tired to think. I found a random pair of pyjamas without really looking at them, and I just decided to whip my top off right then. I forgot that Cato was in the room, sitting on the bed, watching me undress. After removing my clothes, I stood in just my underwear and I could feel his gaze fixed on me but I didn't really care. I pulled on the pyjama top and shorts without question then pushed past him and climbed into bed.

When he climbed in after me he was quicker than usual to pull me right against him: my back to his chest. He slung his leg over mine so he could push us even closer. I shut my eyes again as he shuffled around a bit, probably trying to get comfortable. I felt something press against my back but I ignored it. I drifted into sleep with thoughts of Cato though I really wish I didn't.

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_**A/N **So how did you feel about this chapter? I'd love to hear what you think!_

_Thanks for reading..._


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N **I know it's been longer than I said it would be and I'm so sorry about that! So to make up for it, I made an extra long chapter with some fluffiness to settle your appetites. Hopefully, I won't take so long with the next chapter. In case I don't see you before then, MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone! It's also coming up to my birthday (31/12) but lets hope I update before then!_

_Okay so I really hope you like this. Hope it's worth the wait!_

_ME4427_

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Chapter 4

When my eyes opened I was encased in the cage that is Cato's arms. But something was different and I noticed immediately. It was not my alarm that had woken me as usual; it was Cato. He snored lightly so he was still asleep but it was definitely him that had woken me. When I felt a squeeze, I realised what it was that was different. My face reddened and my eyes went wide. I slowly looked down and sure enough his hands were on my boobs. I swallowed thickly and tried to ignore the strange feeling in me. Should I pull them off me? Would that wake him though? Glancing down again I saw how big his hands were and I thought about how _no one_ had _ever _touched me like this; it was so intimate. Then I thought about how many girls he'd probably done this too.

"Cato!" I whisper-yelled at him. He stirred and tightened his hands causing me to gasp loudly. His eyes immediately flicked open meeting my shocked face, and then he followed my gaze down to his hands. He immediately pulled back looking sheepish, but Cato Hadley _never_ looked sheepish. For a while, we both just stared at each other but eventually we were pulled out of it by my alarm going off. Without word, Cato hopped out of bed and I watched as he went over to his pile of discarded clothes on my bedroom floor. I even watched as he hauled on his shirt and pulled on his jeans. He turned around and came over to me pressing a kiss to my head. Then he turned as he was about to leave.

I leapt out of bed which seemed to take him by surprise. I was out of my daze and he would not get away with his man-whorish behaviour towards me! He spun round upon hearing me get out of bed. I swung my hand back and then towards his smirking face. It made a loud smack noise as it made contact with his skin. The force of it sent him stumbling to the left. His expression showed how shocked he was by my reaction and his hand on his cheek showed how much it hurt. "OW! What the fuck was that for?!"  
"Keep your voice down would you!" I hissed, "You deserved that hit! How dare you touch me like that?!"

"Hey I was sleeping! It wasn't my fault!" He yelled in response.

"Keep your voice down!" I said glancing towards my door hoping Bes hadn't heard him. "And I bet you weren't even asleep anyway!"

"Are you calling me a liar?"

"Yes! All you do is lie! You were probably horny from not fucking any girls lately!" I completely forgot about the volume at which we were talking.

"Is that what you think? I wasn't dreaming about one of them." The way he said it sounded like he was dreaming of someone though.

"So what were you dreaming about then?"

He ignored my question. "You know what? If anything were going to make me horny it would be your little performance last night and your little outfit there!" He retorted, gesturing to my attire. As soon as he'd said it, he looked like he regretted it. I looked down at my outfit.

I'd been so sleepy last night that when I'd gotten changed I hadn't really looked at which pyjamas I'd picked up. I felt rather than saw my face heat up in embarrassment and I couldn't help feeling very self-conscious as I thought of Cato seeing me like this. I was wearing a top that no longer fit me so it showed my stomach and was stretched over my breasts quite tightly. The shorts weren't much better; they were very short so only really just covered me. The worst part was, Cato had not only seen me in this outfit but he'd seen me in my bra and panties. I was completely lost for words so I just slapped him again.

"What was that for?!" He exclaimed while rubbing his now red cheek.

"For lying." I replied bluntly, turning away from him and heading to my wardrobe to find clothes.

"When did I lie?"

"When you said I made you horny." I said, catching a glance at myself in the mirror on my wardrobe. I really wasn't wearing much. If Bes saw me in this he would flip. Suddenly I felt Cato standing behind me. He pressed himself tight against me and he planted his big hands firmly on my hips causing me to gasp. I could see his smirk in the mirror. His lips caught my shoulder in a feather light kiss before he slowly dragged them up my neck that made another gasp ripple through me. Much to my surprise he pulled away, then he grabbed my shoulder roughly and spun me around. As soon as I was facing him, he pushed me back so I hit the mirror on my wardrobe roughly, knocking the breath right out of my lungs. Before I could blink, his hands were back to gripping my hips and his body was pressed right against me. I thought it was unfair that he was fully clothed compared to me. With his hands on me, he lifted me up slightly as if I weighed nothing. Then, if possible, he pressed closer to me until he was between my legs and I was slightly off the ground. I felt so very vulnerable like prey versus the predator, and his eyes definitely looked like he wanted me. His hands snaked further up my body as our eyes locked, and I thought I'd fall but with the way his body was against mine, it was impossible. Unconsciously, my arms wrapped around his shoulders loosely, probably just so there was somewhere for them to go. Then he leaned in and my breath was totally gone; I couldn't even think. But just when I thought his lips were going to touch mine, he stopped. His breath tickled my face and then suddenly he smirked, dropped me to the floor and headed to the window.

He left without another look to me. My legs could no longer hold me and I just collapsed in a heap on the floor. Finally my breath came home, but it was much heavier than before. I sat there for a while just breathing since I could now. What the hell had happened this morning? First him touching me and then….whatever the hell that was?

When I was out of my state with the realisation that he'd been fucking with me, I decided to get my own back. I hunted through my wardrobe looking for a good outfit. I knew that Bes would be off school again today so it didn't matter what I looked like because he wouldn't see me. Finally I found the perfect outfit. When I was done, I added make-up (which I normally would barely touch) and then did my hair a little differently. Perfect. He would not win today.

I could already see Cato standing in the kitchen when I reached the bottom of the stairs. Obviously he was eating my cereal but as soon as he saw me, his mouth hung open. I pretended not to notice his reaction. Feigning ignorance, I came in and stepped right up to him so our chests were beating together. I stood there for a second enjoying the look on his face, before taking my bowl and eating my cereal.

"Clove…"

"Hmm?" I glanced up from my eating with the spoon balanced on my lip. He just dismissed it. I almost laughed out loud at his face. I was glad to see he had changed into a white vest top with a black shirt unbuttoned over the top. He was wearing the same ripped jeans as yesterday. As we headed out the door I shouted up to Bes who mumbled something back.

When we were in the car, I kept seeing him glancing at me. I'd decided if he was going to flirt stupidly with me then he deserved it back. He kept opening his mouth as if to say something but then shut it again so he took the resemblance of a fish. We arrived in the car park earlier than normal. All the normal people swarmed the car as always but before I stormed off today, I decided to start messing with Cato. I leant in and kissed his cheek so there was a big, red lipstick stain on his cheek that was still pink from my morning slap. As I pulled back I whispered in his ear, "I'm sorry I hurt your cheek babe."

Then I jumped out of the car and pushed through the crowd. People gave me funny looks as I did because I know they'd seen the exchange between Cato and me in the car. Clearly girls didn't like competition. How I'd love to see their faces if they knew he was in my bed every night! Just before I reached the end of the crowd, I bumped into Tia and her friend Emily South. Both were as bad as each other.

"Oh is that you Foirfe? Wow who knew Clove could wear normal clothes?" I just give Emily the finger and keep walking towards the building with my locker.

When I get to my locker, I find Will and Eve there. They're deep in conversation and don't even realise that I'm there. Will looks panicked and Eve appears to be soothing him.

"But she already has one! What am I going to do?! It's her birthday tomorrow and I've not gotten her anything! She's my girlfriend so I have to get her something good!"

"Why don't you go down to the jewellery shop on Latent Avenue? I know it's expensive but they have a sale on so you could probably get something alright priced and it'll look like loads. She has a lot of blue stuff so why not get her something with blue on?"

He just stares then whips me up in a tight hug. It's nothing like Cato's hugs. "You are a fricking genius, you know that? God I love you Clove!" He pulls back with a big smile on his face. Then he sees what I'm wearing and he raises an eyebrow, "I'm assuming the brother's still ill else you would _not _be here in that! Seriously Clove, since when do you wear stuff like that? Who you trying to impress?"

"I'm not trying to impress anyone. I just thought I'd try something different."

Since I normally wear something that leaves a lot to the imagination, this is a change for me. I would not normally wear a black lacy top where you can blatantly see my bra with a short black skirt. Still it's more clothes than Tia's probably ever worn in her life. I backcombed my hair to look sort of messy, bedhead-ish and then tied it in a loose braid to my right. Normally I'd just wear it straight down.

"Well I think you look nice." Said Eve with a smile.

When we were heading to class I spotted Cato and his friend Steve. Normally I would shy away from them but today when I caught Cato's eye in passing, I gave him a flirty wave and a wink. As we actually passed them, he wrapped his arm around my waist and walked with me. Eve practically melted while Will just looked confused. I couldn't help but remember the way his arms felt sliding up my skin under my top as he held me up. When we reached my classroom, he tugged on my arm to get my attention. I stopped as he leaned in. Since the door to class was open, everyone inside could see us. "Listen, I have practise this afternoon so you can either find another ride or wait around a while for me."

I put my hand on his chest, "I think I'll wait. Why pass up the opportunity of seeing you all hot and sweaty?" I said quoting him from yesterday. With that, I pushed past him into class and sat down. Almost everyone's eyes were on me, especially Katy's as I sat down next to her. Throughout class, my mind kept thinking back to this morning to him kissing my neck and running his hands up me. I didn't want to be daydreaming about Cato but I couldn't help myself. I hated how he had such effects on me, which is why I'd make him pay.

"Jeez Clove, what the hell is wrong with you?"

Then I thought of a different event of this morning; how it felt when I woke up. I couldn't help but bight my lip. Oh why couldn't it have been someone else…

"Clove!" Katy smacked me with the novel we were supposed to be reading. I snapped out of my _weird_ thoughts.

"What?" I asked pretending I'd been listening to Mr Dreary.

"What were you thinking about Clove? You were totally out of it!" She whispered so it wouldn't capture too much attention.

"Nothing…"

She hit me again. "Come on Clove! You were staring…." She followed where I'd been staring and it turns out I'd been looking in the direction of Alex Hurt. "Oh my god! You were thinking about Alex! Was it dirty?!" She squealed really loudly so that everyone turned round to us, including Alex. I buried my face in the novel as I went red.

"Oops." Katy mumbled. "So is this why you dressed up? To impress Alex?" She whispered at a better volume than before. I still felt so embarrassed from the whole situation before so I just ignored the question. Apparently, that gave her the answer she wanted. She sat back with a smug look on her face, seeming oblivious to the people who were now staring at us.

For the remainder of the lesson, I actually did the work for once but only so I was distracted from the looks Alex kept throwing my way; I wasn't sure what to make of them so I ignored them. As soon as the bell rang, I practically sprinted out of the room just to get away from people. When I headed to my next lesson, I found that Alex was already there so I tried to avoid his eye but to no prevail. The worst part was that he sat relatively close to me. I busied myself with getting my things out of my bag but I knew this 'distracted' act wasn't going to hold up because I was in Chemistry and I barely understood it. How can I pretend to be engulfed in a subject that's like a foreign language to me? I sat on my stool and stared at my feet but I could feel his eyes on me. It was very unnerving, like being in a room with perverted Cato. In a way, I didn't mind his eyes as much though. Cato was familiar but invading; Alex was foreign but inviting.

When Mr Gold finally entered the room I'd been staring at my feet for so long that I hadn't even realised that Will wasn't in class when he was supposed to be my partner. I felt dread when I saw Mr Gold writing on the whiteboard about an experiment we were to be doing in class today because that meant that either I'd be working on my own, confused, or I'd be working with someone else who would laugh at my lack of knowledge.

"Right ok today class we'll be completing this," he gestured to the board, "experiment. You'll be working in pairs so…" he scanned the room seeking out the partner-less people like me, "Jennings and Davidson you're together, George and Kingsley together, and Waters…" The dreaded moment of truth, "…you're with Hurt."

Of all the people to be paired with on all of the freaking days, I'm with Alex. Wonderful. This should be an eventful lesson at least. I made a mental note to kill Will later. Alex turned round and beamed at me before moving over with all of his stuff. When he sat in the stool beside me, I was sure that he shuffled it closer to me as it seemed odd that our arms kept bumping each other.

We gathered all the relevant equipment according to the list Mr Gold had written on the board. As Alex started setting it all up, I just watched him in amazement as he seemed to get this thing more than I. Whenever he caught me watching him, he'd just give me a genuine smile and I thought about how hard it was to get one like that from Cato unless we were in bed together. Obviously, I didn't say this thought out loud.

"You really don't get this, do you?" Alex suddenly spoke up.

"Hmm?"

"This experiment. You don't understand." It wasn't a question.

I blushed slightly. It was slightly embarrassing. "No not really. Chemistry is like a foreign language to me." I admitted, moving closer to get a look at what was happening. It didn't help me understand.

"But Clove, surely languages can be learnt? You speak French pretty well; I've heard you in the lessons so don't deny it."

"I suppose but this one is pretty hard to learn…"

"Nonsense. Maybe I could tutor you?" He asked and I could see the hope gleaming in his eyes.

"Erm…maybe yeah." I replied, trying not to break his spirit. It wasn't a commitment but it wasn't a 'no'. He tried to explain what happened during the experiment and I nodded as if I was getting it but honestly he made me more confused. Thankfully, he seemed to have forgotten the previous lesson's events as he didn't once mention it. When we were packing up I was almost sad to be leaving him as he'd been quite good company with a few jokes and a lot of smiles.

As usual, I sat at the table towards the far end of the cafeteria with my friends. I was chatting to Katie when I saw Will enter into the room. I found it odd to see him without Sophie draped on his arm but I didn't question it. When he sat down beside Eve, I turned my head away to show him I was unhappy with his Chemistry absence. He knew that of all lessons, that was the one where I needed him most. Chemistry-land was definitely his native habitat.

"Clove, you're not mad at me are you?" He asked, prodding my shoulder.

"Why should she be?" Eve asked.

"Because he didn't turn up to Chemistry and he knows how little I understand it." I answered her.

"Look Clove I'm sorry!" He said trying to catch my eye but I kept turning my head away. "I have good reason!" He lowered his voice and leaned in, "I was buying Sophie's present and I did intend to be back by then but it took longer than I thought it would. I'm really sorry Clove. Did you manage to get anything done?"

"Well yes, we were partnered up so it was ok I guess." I try to dismiss that subject and move to a new one, "So did you get the present? I can't believe you skived!"

"Yeah I did from the place on Latent Avenue like you said but it came to more than I thought so I had to pop home and grab some more cash. And I had to skive else I wouldn't have got there before it shut. Not everyone's a goody-two-shoe like you, Clove. Besides I-"

"Oh my god clove! Look who's staring at you!" Eve shrieked. Presuming it was Cato, I turned to where she was pointing and found Alex with his group of friends. I gave him a small smile and he returned it. This just made Eve squeal more. Then he gave a sort of hand gesture to wave me over to his table. Feeling the joy of change, I decided to. My friends were more than encouraging so I went ahead and grabbed my plate, heading over to him. As I passed across the cafeteria, I could feel someone's eyes on me but I ignored it. Alex's friends were very welcoming to me and I actually found them to be great company, but still the hairs on my neck stood rigid. Eventually, I turned around to see who it was shooting me daggers but it wasn't anyone I could have expected. Rather, it was Cato. His friends appeared to be deep in conversation without him as his full attention was on glaring at Alex. I didn't know what it was that upset him so much but he was being incredibly rude. Perhaps it was his overly protective nature and maybe it was even higher since he didn't have Bes to do half the work. I ignored his rudeness and carried on conversing with Alex's friends. When I looked to my usual table I found that Eve was giving me the widest smile ever. I was thoroughly enjoying the change of scenery. It was also one of the only days I had without Cato by my side.

The rest of the day flew by. I had Alex smiling at me to brighten my mood, I had Eve's big smiles and I had Katie beside me almost every lesson. It was enjoyable.

Then came the end of the day when I knew I'd be waiting around for Cato since he had practise. I snuck into the rink and hid at the back so I wouldn't be seen. We weren't allowed in here during practice because their coach said that girls distracted the players. I loved to watch the hockey games; there was just something about the way they glided over the ice so fast and gracefully. I found myself watching Cato skating. I'd watched him do this hundreds, if not thousands of times, but there was just something so beautiful about it. He took my breath away. I was watching the way his feet moved, the way his messy blonde hair blew as he skated, the way the ice sprayed up as he stopped. It was truly mesmerizing. It was odd that on this occasion I would secretly watch him like all those other girls, I would admire him and the way he moved. It was so uncharacteristically me and yet I did it every time. Bes wasn't even here this time either and by the looks of it half the team wasn't. But Cato was completely committed. Bes played for fun, as a hobby. Cato did too; he loved the ice, but his was more than that, more like a passion. Though Bes was good, Cato was better and people hadn't failed to notice. Countless times, he'd been offered scholarships and though he loved hockey, he never seemed too interested. Whenever I'd asked him about it, he'd said "I'm content with the now." Sometimes he is truly bizarre.

After a while the team gave up on practising, since some of them were drunk and the rest were just tired. But Cato played on and I kept watching him. The sweat rolled off him as he skated and skated without pause. It caught my attention and glued it there. It was so peaceful with just the sound of the spray of ice and our breath. The moment was so beautifully intimate even if he didn't know I was there. It didn't take long for me to become careless. I wandered out of hiding and moved closer to watch. He was oblivious to his intrigued audience until he turned round in the middle of his sprint. He skated over and I didn't bother to speak, blush or hide. The noise of breath intensified as he neared me. We both moved closer to the rink entrance until we met. He was glistening in sweat but smiling wildly.

"Like what you see?" He whispers so quietly like it's just for me.

I didn't really mind spending time with Cato but it just depended which Cato would be here with me, the night or the day one. Night Cato was considerate, loving and thoughtful. Day Cato was a flirt, slut and a jerk. However, both night and day Cato's made me feel safe and protected.

He stepped off the ice and I watched the way he walked funny in his skates. He pulled me along by grabbing my hand. I was in too much of a daze to question where we were going. He led me to the room where they keep spare skates and he rummaged around a bit before pulling out a pair of size five skates; my size. He sat me down on the bench and pulled my boots off my feet easily since I didn't protest. On his knees, he slipped the skates on my feet like the Cinderella's glass slippers. I gasped in realisation; we were actually going to skate? I'd been skating a few times in my life but I was completely terrible at it.

He grabbed my hand and we walked towards the ice. He had to keep a tight hold of my hand else I would have fallen over before even reaching the ice. "You know I can't skate." I winced, looking at the ice, starting to panic.

He laughed and pulled me onto the ice. "I know, I remember. Don't worry, I'll help you."

I'd always loved to watch people skate and wished I could learn, but I literally couldn't stand up. Bes had tried taking me loads of times but it was never successful and I had my fair share of bruises to prove it. As I slipped and slid all over the place, he grabbed my hands tightly. He was skating backwards, facing me.

I felt my feet slide out from under me; instantly, he grabbed me around the waist and leant backwards so that we both fell. I landed on top of him, his body breaking my fall. He chuckled under me. I pushed myself up to my knees so I was straddling him, and then sat down next to him. I waited for him to get up first as I couldn't stand up.

He smiled, pulling me to my feet easily. "OK, attempt number two. I'll pull you around until you can get your balance so keep your feet still." He kicked at my skates gently, nudging them to get them closer together as he gripped my hands tightly.

I managed to stay on my feet for a while before losing my balance. Again, he grabbed me around the waist and leant back so that I fell on top of him. The next time I fell he did the same action.

"Why do you keep doing that?" I asked, pushing myself into a sitting position again. He just looked at me with a confused expression as if he didn't understand the question. "Every time I start to fall, you make yourself fall backwards so I land on top of you. You're going to hurt yourself," I explained, frowning.

"Rather me than you," He shrugged, pulling me to my feet again. Did he just say that? Maybe I heard him wrong. "You're getting better; you lasted at least a minute that last time. Impressive!" he teased with his trademark smirk.

"Well a minute is good for me. You know I can't do this. I did warn you," I replied, instantly falling again. By grabbing my hips, pressing our bodies together and lifting me up off the ice, he managed to just hold me up this time. It meant I could get my footing back. I felt my heart start to beat faster, but it wasn't because of the usual fear of someone touching me, it was something else that I couldn't understand. I blushed and looked away as he set me back on my feet.

I shivered feeling the ice starting to wet the back of my skirt.

"Why are you blushing?" he asked, frowning at me but looking amused at the same time.

"I'm not. It's just cold. I think my ass may be frozen." I rubbed my ass trying to get some of the wet off me. I heard him pull in a deep breath and let it out as a sigh so I looked back up to see he was frowning with his eyes closed; it looked like he was in pain or something.

"You OK?" He nodded and shrugged out of his shirt so his muscles were on show better in his tight t-shirt. He tied his shirt around my waist. "What are you doing? You'll get cold," I scolded, as I tried to untie the knot he'd made.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. Next time I'll bring a spare for your very fine ass," he replied. He grabbed my hands and starting to pull me along again.

Next time? What does he mean, next time? Not that I'm not having a nice time, but being here with Cato, it was strange, it felt weird. Well, that wasn't strictly true; it actually felt good, which was what felt weird.

"That's it! You're getting it," he cooed - which of course made me lose my balance again. I pushed myself up off of him for the third time, laughing slightly. It was actually really fun especially since it didn't hurt. Usually, when I had come skating with Bes and he had tried to teach me, he just let me fall on my butt all the time. Within about thirty minutes I was usually so bruised and sore that I just gave up. "See, now you're having fun." Cato laughed and it seemed that when I smiled, he did. He brushed the ice crystals off of his back and grabbed me again. We managed to skate all the way round four times before I fell. I really was getting better. Perhaps Cato was a good teacher after all.

He let go of me for a second to turn and look at the clock to see the time. It was later than we'd realised. Without his support, I began to lose my balance. He grabbed hold of me and slammed me into the plastic side of the rink to keep me up, his body pressed into me, his face inches from mine. My heart started to speed up again. He didn't move. He just stood there looking at me, staring into my eyes until I started to feel a little light-headed. Suddenly, I realised it was because I wasn't breathing, so I sucked in a ragged breath, which seemed to snap him out of it.

He pulled back but left his hands on my waist, holding me up. "We'd better get going. If your brother finds out about this he'll cut my balls off," he said with mock horror, making me laugh.

Instead of holding my hands to help me to the side, he just continued to hold my waist, skating backwards as he pulled me along. I didn't really know what to do with my hands so I put them on his shoulders. I didn't really know where to look so I looked into his eyes. That wasn't a good idea because it made my legs go weak. As I started to fall again he bent down and scooped me into his arms, gripping one of his forearms firmly under my ass, and forced my thighs around his waist with the other hand as if I weighed nothing at all. He turned on the spot and skated forwards, fast. It was actually quite scary. I held my breath and threw my arms around his neck, pressing myself to him as tight as I could, probably choking the life out of him but he didn't complain. I'd heard plenty of stories about ice related accidents and I didn't want to be one of them. Instead of getting off of the exit like I was expecting, he skated around the whole rink again, before finally walking off of the ice and plopping me on the bench.

"What the hell was that about?" I asked, feeling a little uncomfortable that I just had my whole body completely wrapped around him. I don't know why I felt uncomfortable about it though, he wrapped his body round mine every night.

Again he gave me a confused expression as he didn't understand what I meant.

I pointed to the ice. "You skated around again. Why didn't you just get off at the exit?" I explained, frowning, but smiling at the same time, this boy really is weird!

He looked slightly uncomfortable but then re-arranged his expression into his usual 'make all the girls melt' smirk.

"You slowed me down the whole time; I just wanted one lap where I could skate forwards, that's all. This was supposed to be my practise, you know? I have a game coming up." He shrugged.

Right, now I feel a little guilty. "Cato, you go on and skate some. I'll sit here, it's fine. I shouldn't have interrupted your practise."

He grinned. "I had a lot of fun." His expression looked completely honest; he quickly stood up and went to get my shoes. He came back and insisted on slipping them on Cinderella style again. I chose not to argue with him.

"Right I should probably go shower. Want to join me?" He asked with a flirty wink. I rolled my eyes and decided to wait by the car. I'd wondered when this Cato would be back. Since he had the keys, I had to wait outside of the car. As it was nearly winter now and I wasn't dressed the part, the air was very chilly with sharp winds and I really wished that I had a coat. When Cato emerged, he saw me shivering so he quickly jogged over to the car and let me in. As I took my seat, I rubbed my hands together trying to keep warm. He turned up the heating as soon as he got in. We drove away and we kept to silence but it was comfortable. Besides, what was I to say after all of that?

I was staring out of the window when Cato did speak up. "So what were you doing with Alex this lunch?"

Honestly I'd completely forgotten about his behaviour then. "Just sitting with a friend." He scoffed at that response. "What?"

"I don't think he's interested in friendship."

"And why not? Am I not nice enough? Is that it?"

He laughed and it made me more annoyed, "No that's not it. But seriously, has he ever shown an interest before today?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" I snapped back.

"Look at what you're wearing. How could anyone not want you in that?"

I looked down at myself and remembered what I was wearing. Still I was angry. "So you think because I'm dressed like this, that's the only way a guy could possibly be interested in me? There are no redeeming qualities in me besides my body? Is that it?"

"No Clove I didn't mean-"

"Do I look like I give a fuck what you meant? Why is it Cato that you do this?"

"Do what?"

"One minute you seem like you may actually be ok and then you're the biggest prick in the world. Sometimes I truly hate you. I do. You're such a fake Cato! All of your niceness is just an act, isn't it?! To trick people into falling for you. Well you know what? I am NOT like most girls and I will NEVER like you. Ever. So get that in that fucking empty piece of shit you call a mind because I'd rather not tell you again as it'd be wasting my breath on someone I'd rather not talk to. You mean nothing to me the way I mean nothing to you. We're just two people who got mixed together and we react alright but we don't produce anything helpful. All we do is create a poisonous gas so maybe it's best if we just don't mix at all. Maybe Alex is a good teacher after all. It seems I understand something about Chemistry; you and I certainly don't have it."

We'd pulled into the drive and we were face to face. With each sentence I leaned in further to really make sure the words stuck. The look on his face was something else. I'd never seen his mask completely off. He looked so shocked by my outburst but I thought he should hear it. I'd never felt so light in my life without that load. But the look in his eyes made me feel sorry for what I'd said but I wasn't taking it back. That would be weak and Clove Waters wasn't weak.

I opened my door, got out of the car and made my way inside the house. I didn't bother to see if he followed. He didn't. I went straight to my room without dinner and without a word to Bes. I sat on my bed and stared at the wall. I shouldn't have yelled like that. Truthfully, I didn't even mean half of it but I just…I don't know what it is but there's something in me that loves to do that to him, to rile him up. I liked the thrill of it, the rush of adrenaline.

I planned to change into my pyjamas early but I couldn't find them, not even the skimpy ones I'd worn last night. Where could I have put them? I rummaged through every drawer but I still couldn't find them. When I heard the window open and close, I jumped. I wasn't expecting Cato to actually come tonight after what I had said to him. I was glad he did though.

"Whatcha doing?" He asked. His voice sounded very uncharacteristically quiet probably in fear of me shouting again.

"I can't find my pyjamas." I admitted before turning back and looking again. I heard him removing his clothes but then he turned me around and I was met with the naked flesh of his chest. He was so close I could smell his sweet scent that was like nothing else. His eyes were full of something but I couldn't put a word to it. Slowly he reached for my top and I gasped in shock when he pulled it over my head. I fought the urge to cover my bra even though it had been practically on show all day. For a moment he just stared at me with that look in his eyes growing stronger. Then he shook himself out of it and slipped the shirt he'd been wearing over my head. Though it'd been tight on him, it was baggy on me and reached just past my ass.

"There. I do find it attractive when a woman wears her man's clothes."

I rolled my eyes, "I'm not your woman." I slipped my skirt off but I felt that it was safer to at least keep my underwear on if this was all I was wearing.

We slipped into bed and he snuggled up to me but not as much as usual. I thought my words did affect him more than he'd admit. I pulled his arms tight around me and I buried my face in his muscly chest which I tried not to marvel at. Eventually I seemed to break down his barriers as I felt him sigh and relax a bit, pulling me closer. I sighed happily. I looked up at him and found he was already looking at me. He ran his fingers through my hair and for a moment I forgot what I was about to say.

"Cato," I whispered, "I'm so sorry for what I said." I'd given in. His eyes and smell and touch were too much for me. They'd made me weak enough to apologise.

"Don't be. You should never be sorry to tell the truth."

"I know but it wasn't the truth." I said but I looked away from him.  
"Then why'd you say it?"

I traced his skin with my fingertips leaving invisible marks. "Because I wanted it to be."

We didn't say anything more because we didn't have to. I snuggled into him and he let me. Like last night, I drifted into sleep with thought of Cato. But this time, my thoughts weren't so innocent. Once you've had a taste of the cake, you have to have the whole thing. It turns out, Cato's touches are the same thing.

* * *

_**A/N **So what was your favourite part of this? I'd been a bit unsure about this chapter but I was reassured by one of my lovely readers so thank you **Clato321 **for that. I also now have a beta by the name **glossgirl** who's really great at the job!_

_What did you think? What would you like to see more of? I'd love to hear from you!_


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N **Ok I am so sorry for how long this took but with the business of Christmas and exams I have right now, I was having trouble finding the time to write this but it is the longest chapter yet! Aren't you proud? Thanks to all of you lovely readers! You mean a lot to me!_

_So this is the chapter with the party so I thought I'd have drunk Clove. Hopefully you'll like this..._

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Chapter 5

In the middle of the night I woke up with a start. My eyes were wide and crazed as I looked around me. Almost as soon as I'd woken and flung myself up from where I lay, Cato did the same. It took his half-asleep brain a minute to function properly but I was wide awake. As soon as he saw the look on my face, his features softened and he wrapped an arm around my waist trying to pull me back into him, but I would not budge an inch closer. I was as stiff as stone but my body felt like it was on fire. Sweat was pouring off my skin.

"Come on Cloverfield. Its fine, just a dream. Relax and go back to sleep I'm here," He soothed, or attempted but I just shook my head frantically. My eyes were still too wide as I thought about my dream. I wanted to scream! "I thought you'd stopped having these sorts of dreams, Clove. Calm down, I'm here, he won't lay a finger on you, okay?" He attempted using his normal technique when this happened which was where he would pull me into a hug and put his lips to my neck, just where it joined my shoulder and he would breathe deeply through his nose, sending his hot breath blowing down my neck and back. That is what he always did to calm me down, when I would sob on his shoulder; that was the only thing that seemed to work. I would feel his heart beating fast against my chest, so I would focus on matching my breathing to the pace of his. I would breathe in his smell until I had calmed myself down. Today though I moved away from him.

I buried my face in my hands and did a little scream compared to the one I wanted to. Again, Cato tried to pull me into him but I pushed him away and got up out of bed. I went into the bathroom and washed my face with cold water as I tried to calm down, but when I looked up into the mirror I saw my frantic reflection.

Then I saw Cato in the mirror. He was leaning on the door with his hair tousled and no clothes on but his underwear. He was just watching me curiously. With his piercing gaze on me, I felt self-conscious so I subtly tugged on the back of his shirt in an attempt to cover myself up more. I turned back to the mirror, ignoring Cato, and really stared at myself for a long moment. I mean, I was a mess. And not just then, because of the dream, but in general. Such realisation, made me put my head back into my hands as I let out a frustrated groan. I slept in the same bed as this boy every night and yet he was one of the most irritating people I'd ever met. He was probably the closest person to me, knowing my secrets, sharing intimate moments and having more of me than anyone else, and yet this same boy was not even my friend. I stared at myself again and I just couldn't recognise that face.

"Come on, let's get some sleep. It's school tomorrow." Cato said, coming forward and grasping my hand pulling me back towards the bedroom. I panicked a little which he immediately sensed. He spun round and he was so very close as we stood in the bathroom doorway. "Why don't you tell me what happened?" He prompted, but I quickly shook my head. "Come on Clove."

"Look it doesn't matter. It was…nothing. I'm overreacting."

He gave me a look making it clear that he didn't believe a word of it. I moved and pushed past him before climbing back into bed. He seemed unsure as to whether I was being truthful but he followed me in anyway. When he tried to scoot closer to me, I did the opposite and scooted away. He tried again and again. Then he grabbed my arm rather roughly, spun me around and pinned me underneath him. My breathing become rapid and he got really confused.

"Clove what's up? What have I done? Seriously, you're scaring me!"

"J-just the dream." I stuttered.

He frowned in confusion, "Well would you tell me what happened? It seems to have freaked you out." I just shook my head again, probably looking as scared as hell. He sighed in frustration, "Clove seriously, stop freaking out. It's like you think I would hurt you. I would never. You know that right?" I blushed but nodded. "Ok…so what was so scary?"

I looked away from his eyes, towards the ceiling. How could I possibly tell him what happened? With him in such close proximity, I could barely think anyway. "Could you please get off me? You're making me uncomfortable."

Immediately he was off me. His body was still pressed right up to me but his eyes looked so upset and sympathetic that I couldn't be bothered to push him away. He took hold of my hand and started gently rubbing circles into it trying to soothe me. I hesitated when he grabbed it but relaxed slightly as he massaged it. I closed my eyes and tried to drift to sleep before he could ask me again. Then his voice broke me.

"I know he scares you Clove," he spoke so softly that it sent shivers through me, "but don't fear me because of him. I would never ever lay a finger on you like he does. Ever. So would..."

"It wasn't that, okay?! Stop."

His face just looked confused, bless him, "What?"

I turned away and looked at the ceiling following its lines with my eyes. "I didn't dream about my dad." I took a deep breath, "Honestly, it wasn't that bad. I'm just a drama queen…" I tried a light laugh but stopped when I realised it was fooling no one.

"So…what freaked you out so much?"

I decided that he probably wasn't going to let this go anytime soon so I thought I'd just tell him. It wasn't that bad, was it? "Well everything was normal but then…then you…and I didn't…we…" I took a deep breath, "you kissed me." My face heated up again. I was so embarrassed.  
"I kissed you? Did you like it?" He asked leaning in a little.

"Yes, I mean no, I mean it was a dream. No, actually it was a nightmare. I mean, it's ridiculous. Anyway, go back to sleep." I quickly turned over and pretended to go to sleep. He paused then wrapped his arms around me with a sigh. He nuzzled his face into my hair and breathed in deeply. I thought I heard him whisper something but I know he couldn't have said that. In that moment, I decided it didn't matter that I'd not told him the whole dream. That would have been quite the conversation. The rest of the night I slept with less exciting dreams.

My alarm woke me up as usual; I silenced it and tried, unsuccessfully, to move away from Cato.

Though I'd fallen asleep with his chest to my back, I had my head on his chest and my leg draped over his crotch, which as usual, was already full of the usual 'morning glory'. He had his hand on my knee, pinning my leg there, and his other arm wrapped tightly around my waist. I moved my arm and jabbed his stomach. "Six o'clock," I mumbled, tapping him again but harder when he didn't even open his eyes.

He groaned and tightened his grip, pulling me so that I was completely on top of him. I could feel his erection pressing between my legs. I gasped at the feel of it. I tried not to think about the way it felt. This is Cato for goodness sake! I tried to wriggle free, but it just made us rub together in places that I would rather not think about my brother's man-whore of a best friend touching. As my body started to tingle, I couldn't help the little moan that escaped from my lips. I felt mortified and was glad he wasn't awake. But then, if I ever wanted to be free of this position, I would have to wake him up.

"Cato!" I whisper yelled at him.

His eyes snapped open and he looked at me, shocked. His expression quickly changed to his trademark smirk, which I wanted to slap right off of his face. "Well good morning. Wow, this is a first," he purred, raising his eyebrows, his smile amused. "First the dream, now this. Wow Clove."

"Will you let go of me for goodness sake?" I whisper yelled at him. He raised his hands in a 'I surrender' fashion and I quickly rolled off him. "It's six," I grumbled, frowning. I wrapped myself in my arms protectively feeling very invaded.

He rolled onto his side to look at me. "Ok look I am sorry. I didn't know I did that, okay?" he whispered, gently touching my arm. When I didn't respond he kissed my forehead before quickly climbing out of the bed and throwing on his clothes.

"OK, whatever," I mumbled, settling into his warm spot in the bed where he had been laying.

"I'll see you later." He shot me a wink before climbing out of my window.

I rolled over onto his end of the pillow and curled up falling back asleep for a bit. When I woke up again I felt an odd sense of contentment. I pulled myself out of bed with a bit of effort and got ready for the long day. It was a shame that I didn't get a proper night's sleep because with the party, I probably wouldn't be having a long sleep tonight. Grabbing the first outfit I could, I quickly got changed and made my way downstairs. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I was surprised to hear two voices in the kitchen conversing as I expected Bes to still be sick in bed. As always, Cato was eating my cereal and I took it right from his hands. I sat down and started eating it.

In between mouthfuls I asked, "So you all better then, Bes?"

"Like I'd miss a good party! It's like you hardly know me, Clove!" He smirked.

"Ok but I hope you know that I am NOT going to clean up after this one. That's all you, bro!"

"Whatever we both know you will." He dismissed.

We made our way to the car and it was so different with Bes there. He and Cato just engaged themselves in conversation while I sat in the back doing nothing but roll my eyes whenever Cato winked at me in the mirror.

The crowd at school seemed very pleased to have the other playboy back especially in time for the party. Even as I stepped out of the car I could hear the excited chatter over what people were hoping from the party. In the crowd I passed by Emily who just scowled at me today rather than making an ignorant comment like yesterday. She and Tia were pathetically pushing their way through to get to my idiot brother because clearly they'd missed drooling on him.

I was very relieved when I got away from those people and to my friends who I found at Sophie's locker wishing her a happy birthday. She was full of smiles and her arms were full of presents. I could see that she'd not yet opened Will's gift yet.

"Hey, happy birthday," I said handing her a gift of my own.

"Thanks," She began unwrapping it and after tearing back a little of the wrapping paper she laughed.

"So you can learn what good music is." I explained, which made her laugh more.

"Well thank you. That's lovely." She put it in her locker then turned to Will, "So where's my present then, huh?" She smiled.

"Don't worry, I've not forgotten. I just thought you should save the best until last." He handed her the gift and she slowly tore back the wrapping paper. When she saw the box she immediately knew where it was from.

"Will, you shouldn't have spent this much. This place is really expensive!"

"Just look at it, will you?" She did. She pulled it out of the box and practically leapt into Will's arms there and then. She kept hugging and kissing him repeating "thank you" over-and-over. Eventually she unstuck herself from him and he wrapped he took it from her, putting the necklace round her previously bare neck. She couldn't stop smiling at him. When she wasn't looking he mouthed a 'thank you' to me since it'd been my idea.

Just as we were about to leave and head to class, Bes, Cato and Steve passed us. As they were, Lucy and Eve squealed causing their attention to turn to us. Noticing the array of gifts in Sophie's hands, Cato stopped them. He came over with Bes.

"Is it your birthday, Sophie?" Cato asked, causing Eve and Lucy to melt.

"Yes." She replied, completely unaffected by them. It was reasons like this that I liked her so much.

"Well happy birthday." Said Bes with an actually nice smile. It was so odd to see when he was talking to a girl.

"Thank you, Bes."

"Are you coming to the party tonight or doing something else for your birthday?" Cato asked.

"No I'll be there. I wouldn't miss a good party."

"Did-"

I cut him off. "My god Cato! They're not your friends! Must you stalk me every day! I mean it was one thing when Bes wasn't here but…"

"You hung around with my sister when I wasn't here?" Bes growls at Cato. His expression completely changed.

"Well I-" He gets cut off when Bes hits him round the head.

Bes leaned in to Cato, assuming I couldn't hear him, he hissed, "How many fucking times do we have to talk about this?! Back the fuck off." With that he dragged him away presumably to wherever their lesson was.

Up until lunch time, the day was uneventful. Lunch however, was very eventful. I was sat with my friends today rather than Alex. I hadn't seen him until he came in and sat at his table. He purposefully caught my eye and smiled. I smiled back. Then I remembered the conversation I'd had with Cato in the car about Alex and I thought about what he'd said. Surely Cato was wrong. Alex didn't just want me for my body, if he wanted me at all, because he was still being nice even with me dressed normally. I looked up from my food and he wasn't at his table; he was coming over to me. I risked a glance at Cato and his expression was hard but not half as hard as Bes' from next to him.

"Mind if I sit?" Alex asked.

"No not at all."

He took the seat opposite me since there was no room next to me. We made polite conversation though I still talked to my friends plenty. Katy kept shooting me smiles from across the table. Clearly she thought there was something going on with Alex and me.

"So how come you were off, Lucy?" Will questioned.

She blushed slightly, "Oh you know, this and that." He raised his eyebrows and she broke, "Okay, Clove freak but I was with your brother…"

"What?!"

"I thought I'd stop by on the way to school to see how he was and I ended up getting him stuff. No big deal."

"Yes it is. I'm surprised he even let you in." Then I remembered something, "Wait. How long were you there?"

"Why?" She looked confused as well as everyone else.

"Lucy, how long were you there? It's important." I pressed.

"Quite late I suppose…"

"Until what time though?"

"Maybe ten or something?" She guessed. The colour drained from my face. She was there when I was with Cato and we were talking. I hoped to God that she didn't hear a word of it else I was in trouble. At least we were reasonably quiet at the point anyway.

"You okay, Clove?" Alex asked, eying me closely.

"What? Yeah I'm fine."

I left that conversation and barely listened to everything they were saying. Luckily they included Alex in their discussions else he probably would have left and gone back to his friends. Near the end of lunch, Emily and Tia emerged and came in. Emily looked right at me and she looked absolutely furious. I mean, she never looked happy to see me but this was something else. Then she started coming over and her eyes were like venom. When she arrived at the table she didn't even stop to say anything before shoving me backwards off my chair onto the floor with a thud. My friends stopped talking and looked as shocked as me.

"You fucking slut!" Emily spat. Tia was right behind her and she looked almost as angry.

I pushed myself up off the floor and stood up. The hall was silent and every pair of eyes was on us. She glared and I could see her anger growing until she just pounced on me like a bloody tiger. I let out a shocked squeal as my head hit the floor for a second time. I still had no idea what I'd done. She started wrestling me right there on the floor and honestly, I was surprised she was so strong. I kept trying to push the bitch off me but she weighed way more than she looked like she did.

When Will tried to step in, Tia just bitch-slapped him. She started pulling my hair and God did it hurt. I still didn't know what we were fighting about. Then I felt the weight of her removed from me and someone lift me up. As Emily tried to break free from his grip, Cato just held her more firmly. Bes was the one who'd pulled me up and I was so angry that he had to hold me back.

"You bitch! You know what? You are not as fucking innocent as everyone bloody thinks, you slut!" She hurled abuse at me even as the teachers eventually stepped in.

"I'm a slut?! God that's rich! Have you ever looked in a bloody mirror?! Then again, if I had a face like that I wouldn't look in a mirror either!"

Bes pulled me back and out of the room while the teachers tried to calm Emily down. He finally let go of me when we were in the hallway but he stood in front of the cafeteria door in case I tried to go back in.

"What the hell was that about?"

"I have no idea. She just attacked me!" I yelled.

"Well you must have some idea!"

"I don't!"

One of the teachers came into the hallway interrupting our argument and asked me to come to the Principal's office with her. It wasn't a question at all so I had to comply. When I went in I found Emily was already there and I think she would have attacked me again if the principal hadn't been there. He sat back in his big chair with his hands folded on the wooden desk. He just watched us with a thinking look on his face. I hoped that since I didn't usually end up in here that I might be let off more lightly than Emily who's second home was this office. I glanced up at the clock to find that lunch was over in five minutes so it was likely I would miss part of my French lesson.

"Okay, so Emily would you care to tell us what happened here?" He said calmly.

"Fine. She," She pointed her manicured finger right in my face, "is screwing around with _my _boyfriend so I gave her what was coming to her."

"What? I never-"

"Clove, you'll get your turn." He turned back to Emily, "So you thought violence was in order?"

"Yes." She said without missing a beat. In her head, everything revolves around Emily.

"Well I must tell you Emily, violence is not the answer. It will get you nowhere but here. Do you not think it would have been better to discuss the matter?"

She wrinkled her nose in disgust. "No. I wouldn't be caught dead talking to _her_!"

"I see. So Clove, what do you have to say?"

"I never screwed around with anyone!" She scoffed. "I have no idea what she's talking about. She just attacked me."

"So do you think violence is okay then?" He enquired, leaning in.

"No," I brushed aside all of the thoughts of me hitting Cato. Then I thought of dad. "Not at all. It's horrible actually."

"So you didn't fight back then?" I could tell he already knew the answer so I decided to impress him with being honest.

"No I did fight back. But that was defence. It's different if it's defence. That's what my brother always told me when we were little."

I thought of all the times when dad would hit me and Bes would try and protect me by lashing out at him for me. It came about when we got older and Bes got stronger so could stand up for me more. It always made me cry and I'd ask if he hitting someone made him like dad and he always said, "No. I'm protecting the weak and fighting the strong. If it's the other way round then I'm in the wrong. Defence is okay. Then violence is okay." Sometimes I wondered how Bes was so wise with a man like that for example.

"Your brother's smarter than I've ever given him credit for." He leaned back seemingly surveying the situation. "Okay, she's saying you did something wrong and you're saying you didn't, Clove. Emily please enlighten us on what it is she's done to upset you."

"Gladly. I've heard all the rumours about her and Alex. And quite frankly-"

"Alex? What are you talking about? I thought you said I screwed around with your boyfriend?"

"Yes. Alex is _my_ boyfriend and you are flirting around with him!"

I became lost for words. I think the look on my face said everything. Eventually I found the words, "Emily, I'm so sorry." Never thought I'd say that. "I didn't know he was your boyfriend, honestly! And whatever you heard isn't true. I've not done anything! I don't even like him!"

"Right okay girls. This appears to just be some misunderstanding. You can both go," We got up but as we were leaving he added, "But next time please just talk and things like this wouldn't happen."

The rest of the day, I avoided Alex even though he was in my classes. Instead, I got on with the work and since I was focusing I finished early so started on the homework. I suppose it was a good thing since I wouldn't be doing any homework tonight.

At the end of the day, I packed up my things and headed to Cato's car. He and Bes were already there so I just climbed straight in rather than waiting outside. It was cold but not quite as cold as yesterday. We had to stop on the way to the party for the guys to buy up supplies for the party, and by supplies I mean alcohol. After we'd bought up a massive supply and we were heading home, Cato decided to start engaging me in conversation.

"That was quite the fight at lunch today. I mean I knew you were feisty but you kicked her ass!" He laughed.

I just shrugged and looked out the window.

"I mean, what was that all about? What a psycho!" He looked at Bes who responded with a nod.

"She's not. She was just upset."

"Why are you sticking up for her?" Bes asked.

"She just misunderstood something. It's not important."

They both looked at me curiously. "What did she misunderstand that made her flip out like that?"

I let out an aggravated sigh. Do they not get that I don't want to talk about it? "Look forget it. It's fine now, all sorted. Leave. It." Fortunately they did.

When we got in, I went straight to my room to get ready for the party while Cato went home for a bit, and Bes also got changed. I spent a while looking through all the stuff in my wardrobe. I knew the party would get pretty hot so I didn't want to be too covered up. On the other hand, every time I'd tried to let out a little skin, Bes had freaked out and sent me back to my room. Sometimes he's too protective.

In the end, I decided I'd wear what I wanted to (still more clothes than most girls there) but just come down once the party had already started so Bes might be too distracted to send me back to my room. For a change, I wore my hair curly as I remembered someone once telling me they liked it better like that. I chose shimmery blue dress from my wardrobe to wear instead of my usual shorts. Once I was dressed, I slipped on a pair of heeled black sandals in case I went outside. Usually people would go out on the deck and some even in the pool even if it was cold like today. Really we were quite fortunate to have a pool, but I didn't really go in it much since it was dad's money that paid for it and that stupid job is what changed _my_ dad into…just _a_ dad.

The music booming gave me the clear indication the party was in full swing so I checked myself over in the mirror one last time before going downstairs. It made me agree with what they said about my hair like this.

I descended the stairs and people were everywhere moving with the music, drinks in hand. I caught my brother's eye as he was in a crowd near the bottom of the stairs. He mouthed 'change' but I pretended not to notice and moved through the people getting lost in the crowd. Some people bumped into me because they were staggering already.

"Hey," I sang happily, having found Katy.

"Hey girl,"

"Where is everyone?" I asked, looking around for the rest of my friends.

"Well Will and Sophie went out for dinner and I think they're running late. As for Eve and Lucy, they're probably wherever Bes and Cato are." I rolled my eyes since it was probably true. "Anyway, you look nice."

"You too," I smiled.

We headed into the kitchen to get something to drink where we found Bes, Eve and Lucy. Eve was giggling uncontrollably at something Bes had said, pressed right against his side, while Lucy was slowly stroking his bare arm. Despite looking uninterested as always, he was enjoying the attention. They always flirted shamelessly with lust-filled expressions. Bes appeared to be slightly drunk already, but I knew Cato wouldn't get too drunk because he always stayed in control in case anything got out of hand which it usually did.

Since I wanted the scene out of my head, I grabbed two beers and a Vodka bottle. I handed one of the beers to Katy as we headed back into my lounge to dance. We passed through the people making out and grinding to the music. Katy and I pushed through people to get to the coffee table. We sat on the floor and put our drinks on the table. We started with the beer then when they were finished we moved onto shots. Eventually, Lucy and Eve joined us and since Katy couldn't take much drink, she began slurring her words making us all laugh. We ignored the people around us and made a game of our drinking. We started confessing things we'd never done and if the others had, they had to drink.

"I've never had sex…" Katy whispered. Lucy and Eve both took shots.

"I've never had a guy…" Eve said thinking, "…touch my boobs!" She laughed really loudly.

Obviously Lucy took a drink and Katy didn't. I blushed and tried to take a drink without them noticing but of course they did.

"WHAT?!" Katy squealed, "WHO?"

"No one…" I giggled. When I giggle, that's when you know I'm drunk.

"Come on, Clove! I mean, you've never even had a boyfriend!" Lucy said.

I shook my head.

"Alex?"

"God no guys!" I giggled.

They all looked puzzled then Lucy's face lit up and she leaned in to whisper, "Cato?"

I giggled and blushed which I think gave her the answer.

"What who was it?" Eve asked,

Thankfully, Lucy shook her head with a small smile.

"Ahh! OMG!" I shrieked excitedly drawing a lot of attention to us, "Katy! My dress matches your nails! That's so cool!"

"OMG! We," She slurs, "should swap!"

At the time, I thought it was a genius idea. That conversation brought us even more attention. Guys started 'wooping' when my fingers curled under my dress and I started to lift it up. Katy and I both giggled as we pulled our dresses off so all of these people were seeing us in nothing but our underwear. We swapped dresses and just when I was about to start pulling on the relatively plain black dress, Cato and Bes walked in.

"Wow!" Bes said, covering his eyes, "Clove what the fuck are you doing?!"

"Changing!" I sang. Then I saw Cato, "Caaaattttoooo!" I ran and practically leapt at him. Bes gave him the worst of death glares.

I pulled back and Cato looked slightly uncomfortable, "Thanks for being a horny sleeper," I said. He just looked really confused, as did everyone else. "It means I get a shot." I explained as if that made it obvious. He still didn't get it. Oh well.

I skipped past him and went to the kitchen giggled uncontrollably. When I made it through the crowds, I was greeted by the sight of a girl lying across my kitchen counter, and two boys doing shots off her body. It didn't take me long to recognise her as Tia. She let out excited screeches like I've heard pigs on farms do. Then she changed her animal sounds to being a cat; she was practically purring.

She lifted her heavily fake eyelashes and caught sight of something that put the flirt in her. She purred seductively, "Come on, baby, do a body shot!" Wondering who she was talking to, I turned around and was met with Cato and his worried expression. His eyes begged me to help him but I couldn't fuck be bothered. All I wanted was a good night. So I giggled and pushed him towards the half-naked skank.

"Oh don't give me that!" I slurred slightly. "You know you want to do a body shot!"

His disgusted expression changed to a smirk relatively quickly. He poured the shot, placed it on her, bent down and then stopped. He looked up and before I knew what was happening, he had _me_ lying on the counter. I squealed just like Tia had. He flashed that smirk but I knew he was kidding.

"Get your damn hands off me, Hadley!" I giggled, but honestly I don't know if I wanted him to. I was so drunk that I was past caring. "I don't want your man-whore germs!"

He chuckled and pulled me back up. I stumbled a little and his expression changed to concerned. I dismissed his protests with a hand and grabbed another glass of Vodka, downing a shot while pouring it.

"Hey, do you not want to go easy? That stuffs pretty strong."

"Ooh!" I said, wiggling the drink under his distasteful expression, "Who's the alcohol expert now!"

"I'm being serious, Cloverfield." He said using my bedtime nickname.

"Get lost! I'm getting," I hiccupped, "Wasted!" I sounded each syllable out slowly.

Walking back to find my friends, I patted his chest on the way.

Dancing became a highlight of the night for me. My drunken state couldn't stop me from dancing with my friends. As I had most of the night, I felt Cato's eyes on my back. He was talking to his friends but he kept sneaking worried glances my way. He didn't even have to worry about Bes catching him looking at me, since Bes had mysteriously disappeared with some single, shag-able girl, or so I'd thought.

"Seriously, he is soooo checking you out!" Eve squealed in my ear for the umpteenth time that night. She was referring to Cato of course. Just because his eyes barely left me didn't mean that.

"No he's not!" I giggled, "Don't be stupid!"

I dropped my cup on the floor and giggled hysterically. Eve started laughing with me too. _I am not cleaning that up_, I thought. Just when I was about to go get another drink, my favourite song came on and I sighed happily. Feeling content dancing with my friends, I stayed where I was.

I felt someone grab my hand and when I turned, it was Cato. He was smiling at me, a real smile, so I smiled back. He wrapped his arms around me and whispered, "Dance with me, Cloverfield."

I was too drunk to care. I snuggled my face into his neck as if we were alone in bed. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer to me. And God did he smell amazing; I did love his scent. Dancing was something I really loved (secretly) and he was actually really good at it or so my drunken-self thought. We just seemed to fit.

I could feel his getting aroused but I was unfazed. Since he was like fifteen he'd been pressing the things against me every night. He wakes up with one and falls asleep with one half the times. I just ignore it. The first time it happened, he'd been so embarrassed that he looked like he wanted to cry. He went home without a word and when he returned the next night, he tried to explain to me but I just shushed him and ignored it. It was still embarrassing for like a month or so.

I pulled back slightly to _really _look at him though I'd known him for years. He smiled at me and I realised how much more beautiful he looked when smiling like that.

Bes came out of nowhere. "What the fuck! That's my fucking sister!" He pushed Cato away from me, making him stumble slightly, "Don't you touch her. You sick pervert!"

"We were just dancing, calm down."

"You DON'T dance with my sister."

"But it's her song!" He whined. Attention was being drawn to them.

Bes leaned in and he looked murderously angry. Since I was near I heard what he said, "Cato, you need to stay away from my little sister, got it? You know what she's going through. Back off. She doesn't need shits like you chasing her around. You're my friend but you fuck with my sister and I will kill you." He was angry, and drunk, in fact they both were. Cato was still in control though.

Cato growled, "I wouldn't hurt her! Don't you trust me?"

"No."

I walked away from them. I couldn't be bothered with them and it'd probably be easier without me there anyway. I didn't need to witness another one of their fights. They got like this all the time, especially when Bes got drunk. It was nothing though; they always made up relatively quickly.

After a couple of hours I was beyond wasted. I wobbled and swayed as I walked in my heels and they weren't even my highest. At one point I was dancing but when the floor started moving beneath my feet I decided to squat down right there amongst everyone dancing. Everyone seemed oblivious to me sitting on the floor, and they carried on making out and grinding right above me. In the end, feeling sick for more than one reason, I crawled like a baby over to the sofa in the room. It took a lot of effort to get onto it with the floor moving like that.

"Hey, you okay there?" Of course. Cato was hovering above me looking a mixture of amused and worried.

"Hmm?" I lay back on the sofa, kicking all of the jackets piled there onto the floor. Cato lifted my legs, sat down, and put them on his lap. He slipped my shoes off and I let out a sigh at my feet being free from their cage. When he started rubbing them, I practically melted. I couldn't help the noises that escaped my lips. When he stopped I scooted across the sofa to him. I could see the looks from everyone in the room, especially my friends who were trying to understand why Cato and I were being nice to each other. I lay my head on his shoulder and my hand on his chest. Feeling tired, I started snuggling into his shoulder and rubbing my nose against his neck. His breathing hitched.

"Clove…"

"I'm sleepy." I yawned.

He gently pushed me away from him and back onto the couch. "Okay, I'll go get you a glass of water and then you can go up to bed."

"Water sounds delicious."

He laughed.

When he stood up, I felt say matter-of-factly, "I warn you. This floor is very wobbly."

He chuckled but I couldn't understand why. "Okay, Clove. Thanks, I'll be careful."

When he came back with water, I wasn't there. I know that because I wasn't where he'd left me; I was outside. I'd suddenly felt very hot and from what I could see from others, outside looked very fun. There weren't many people out there but there was Will and Sophie since they'd made it eventually.

"Whoa, Clove, you okay? You look pretty drunk." Sophie said with a frown on her face.

"I'm not drunk." I said matter-of-factly.

"You sure about that?"

"I . Am . Not . Drunk . "

"Okay whatever you say." Will and Sophie then headed inside with the majority of the party. Eve, Lucy and Katy came out though having swapped places with them. They were giggling and looked pretty drunk themselves. Clearly the drinking hadn't stopped since they all had a drink in hand. Katy saw me by the pool and she ran towards me.

"Ahh! Cloooooovvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeee!"

Unfortunately her intoxicated brain forgot that you have to stop running and she ran right into me, knocking the drink out of both our hands, and knocking us both backwards into the pool. It was slow-motion as I fell backwards and hit the water with one of the biggest splashes ever. Her limbs and mine became tangled because of the way she'd bumped into me. This wasn't the first time someone had knocked me backwards today. I swallowed a load of water when we went under the surface, which probably wasn't good for me especially after so much alcohol. We sank down and we tried to untangle our limbs while under the water. Our hair swished about us and our make-up ran but we were both smiling too much to care. Then I realised that my heel was stuck in one of the tiles at the bottom of the pool and I was stuck.

Katy floated back up and was too drunk to realise what had happened. My lungs were beginning to feel tight and full. I couldn't breathe.

I looked up and saw through the clear canvas of the water some people surrounding the pool and they all looked oblivious. I started to panic.

Tugging on my thigh seemed to do nothing to lessen the grip my shoe had on me. I really wished I had not put them back on after Cato rubbed my foot. Then I wouldn't have been stuck there.

I bent down and started trying to undo the straps. Why had I worn heels with straps?!

The straps wouldn't undo because my fingers just weren't working probably and it felt like my brain was filling up with water. There wasn't going to be a way I was going to free myself.

I started to splash about trying to get attention. I opened my mouth to scream but my mouth filled with water making me choke without air. It felt like I'd swallowed sand.

I attempted to climb the sides of the pool but I was feeling weak and tired. I felt sick.

I let go.

I sank down a little and I wanted to cry.

Suddenly there was a splash and the water gleamed with the intrusion. With my hair flapping round my face, I tried to look up but my vision was obscured. At the time, I thought it was a mermaid with the swift motions and grace so God like when swimming. When my lungs finally found air, they rejoiced and greedily gulped it down. I turned to my beautiful rescuer only to find it was Cato. Of course it was. He'd practically stalked me all night.

I didn't care. I didn't mind that it was Cato. I pushed him up to the side of the pool and pressed myself right against him as I'd done so many times, but this was in public. His face was shocked. I don't know if it was the previous lack of air or something else that made my breathing ragged and uneven. I ran my hands through his wet hair and honestly – maybe it was the alcohol – I saw what everyone else saw; I saw a beautiful creature so angelic yet strong.

I put one arm either side of his head, trapping him. I leaned in and whispered in his ear, "My hero." And I swear-to-God he shivered. That vibration did something to me, deep inside. As I leaned in again, he twisted his face away from me towards Lucy.

"Lucy! Lucy! Please would you-" He became distracted when I kissed his neck, "-please get her away from me."

She took a step closer. She stopped.

"Why? You not enjoying yourself?"

"Please, come on Lucy! She'll regret this! She hates me, remember?" He turned to me, "Remember that, Clove, I'm a man-whore." He tried pushing me away. He honestly looked so frightened. "If Bes catches me…he'll…he'll rip my balls off!"

I pulled back and mimicked his usual smirk, "Well we wouldn't want that. What a waste." I licked my lips and that's when he did push me back and shuffle to get out. I grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him close to me. Still he struggled. In the end, I gave up and let him pull me out.

When he'd jumped in to save me, he must have discarded his outer shirt because he went to fetch it. Lucy left us. We were alone. I stripped out of my – well Katy's – dripping wet dress so I was only in some very wet underwear. Cato turned around and when he saw me his mouth dropped open. I probably looked a right state.

That was when I burst into tears. He quickly rushed over to me and wrapped me in his dry shirt, shushing me and asking what was wrong, what he'd done. I kept trying to push him away as I'd done in the middle of the night. In my state of intoxication, I felt rejected by Cato's actions and I kept fluctuating between blistering anger and overwhelming upset. I was embarrassed. But whatever emotion I felt, I wept. He wrapped me in a hug and eventually I accepted it. I sank to my knees and sobbed into his shoulder as he came to the floor with me.

After a bit, he picked me up bridal-style, me in only his shirt, and he carried me through the party goers and up the stairs to my room. Some people gave us funny looks since they probably thought it looked like we were hooking up. But Cato Hadley would never get with Clove Foirfe.

We past the long line to the toilet and the people trying to find a place to shag. Eventually we found my room and he laid me on my bed telling me he'd be back. I couldn't be bothered to wait.

I walked out of my room and onto the landing, looking down on the staggering figures and their sunken eyes. There muted words screamed over the volume of the pounding dance music only used for occasions like this. It was as cold as stone in emotion. In a way, I could relate to this music.

I sat at the top of the stairs. Lucy saw me and plodded up the stairs. Somehow she wasn't half as drunk as I'd thought. Compared to her, I was as sober as the alcoholic. She sat beside me and looked at the state I was in. Then she said something. Those few words I would remember no matter what my state; those words echoed and haunted.

She said, "I came round while you were still in your room."

I gave her a funny look showing her that I wasn't following. She quickly rushed to explain, "Earlier, you asked about what time I came to see Bes," She wouldn't meet my eye, "I'm saying I came round before you left. When you were in you room. Talking."

She didn't say anything more but just got up and walked away. At the time I knew those words were important but I didn't understand why. All I knew was that I suddenly felt sick. I ran into my room and into my bathroom, not even having time to shut the door before violently throwing up a bottle of Vodka's worth. What a waste.

Cato quickly rushed in and held my hair back, rubbing my back soothingly. Throughout the night, he had to pick me up and take me to be sick. Each time I'd brush my teeth, mumble a thank you and get back into bed.

I fell asleep in my bed, wearing Cato's shirt, in Cato's arms and silently thanking him over-and-over.

* * *

_**A/N **So what did you think? Likes? Dislikes? I'd love to hear your thoughts!_

_Thanks for reading, my lovelies_

_Until next time (which hopefully won't be as long)_

_ME4427_


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